EFF Leader Julius Malema said ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula is on track to become the next president of the ANC if no major intervention takes place within the governing party. Malema addressed journalists in Johannesburg on Thursday, where he raised concerns about the level of influence Mbalula has gained in the organisation.
Malema said Mbalula and several other senior figures in the ANC leadership previously served as presidents of the ANC Youth League and were shaped by the same political environment. He said this has created a shared understanding among them of how organisational power is built and maintained. Malema said Mbalula has been allowed to strengthen his position without challenge and was now ahead of other leaders who have ambitions for the top position.
“I warned you that this Mbalula is allowed to do what he is doing. He is going to lead them. Mbalula is going to be president of the ANC if there is no serious intervention made to stop him. If it was a marathon, Mbalula is ahead. Paul Mashatile is trying to catch up. I do not know how he will catch up because you see him,” Malema said.
Malema also spoke about the ongoing ANC National General Council that is taking place in Boksburg. He said the way the gathering was organised showed signs of irregularities, which he referred to as mshikashika.
Earlier in the week, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa presented his Political Report to the NGC, and Mbalula presented his Midterm Report. After Mbalula finished delivering his report, delegates broke into song praising him. Ramaphosa joined in singing with the delegates.
In the days leading up to the NGC, there were reports that some members of the ANC national executive committee wanted Ramaphosa removed as leader. Malema said some people interpreted the atmosphere at the NGC as a show of force by Ramaphosa. Malema said the events at the gathering were in fact a demonstration of Mbalula’s strength rather than Ramaphosa’s.
“That was Mbalula’s show of force. You said it was Ramaphosa’s show of force because there are people who said they are going to remove him. He did not get removed. No. It was never about that. Mbalula wanted to show them that he is in charge,” Malema said.
Malema told journalists he understood how such displays of power operate because he had been part of similar events when he was still in the ANC. He referred to an earlier NGC held in KwaZulu-Natal during the presidency of Jacob Zuma. Malema said he and his allies defeated Zuma in numbers and in policy positions at that gathering. Malema said Zuma recognised from that moment that they would attempt to remove him.
He said Zuma later expelled them ahead of the Mangaung Conference because the NGC outcomes gave Zuma a clear message about the direction of support in the party.
Malema said former ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told Zuma that Malema and his group were not targeting Mantashe but were targeting Zuma. Malema said this was correct because, although they criticised Mantashe in public, their real intention was to remove Zuma. Malema said they won the KwaZulu-Natal NGC, and this contributed to Zuma’s decision to push them out.
“We got expelled and that is how Kgalema Motlanthe lost the Mangaung Conference,” Malema said.
Malema said he was sharing the history so that journalists could understand that ANC conferences are not won at the actual conference venue, but long before the gathering takes place. He said the current political environment shows that Mbalula has built enough momentum to emerge as president unless something major changes inside the party.
“Mbalula is going for a kill. He is going to emerge as a president unless something drastic happens. I am telling you what is prevailing now. The balance of forces shows that Mbalula is going to be a president,” Malema said.
Malema said he personally observed a clear show of authority by Mbalula at the NGC. According to him, Mbalula addressed delegates for two hours and thirty minutes while Ramaphosa sat and listened. Malema said this showed how Mbalula was asserting his leadership position inside the party.
He said when Mbalula finished speaking, delegates started singing in praise of the secretary general while Ramaphosa looked on. Malema said this placed Ramaphosa in a position where he had to join in singing about Mbalula.
Malema demonstrated to journalists how the delegates sang the song “unobhala thina sifuna unobhala” while Ramaphosa sang along. He said journalists laughed as he demonstrated how the scene unfolded at the NGC.
He said at one stage Mantashe tried to stop the song because he realised the situation was becoming tense but delegates continued singing and moved towards the podium.
Malema said the scene showed where the real power inside the ANC currently resides. He said Mashatile, who has said he is a contender for the presidency, was also made to sing along with the delegates.
Malema said the EFF is ready to enter the Government of National Unity, but said Mbalula remains the obstacle. He said Ramaphosa is not a challenge for the EFF in that regard.
