ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has asserted that Naledi Pandor’s honest comments concerning the party’s decline were not only appropriate but necessary. Speaking at a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, Mbalula dismissed suggestions that Pandor should face disciplinary action over her candid remarks, where she observed that the ANC has lost “its glory” and is now viewed by many South Africans with “disdain, horror and shame.”
Mbalula praised Pandor for speaking truthfully at a recent veteran event, stating, “She said all the right things about the ANC as a veteran, and I am proud of her. She spoke like a veteran, at an ANC veteran event. There’s nothing wrong with what she said.” He emphasised that her comments align with the core values and policies of the ANC and called on other leaders within the party to echo her sentiments.
“She was reinforcing ANC policy on a public platform, talking about the values expected of ANC members,” Mbalula remarked, highlighting the context of her speech at a centenary lecture honouring uMama Gertrude Shope, a respected figure in the ANC who passed away earlier this year.
Pandor, a former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, did not shy away from critiquing the current state of the ANC, asserting that Shope would have been “deeply troubled” by the rampant corruption and erosion of moral standards within the party. “She knew of the corruption that has dragged down the revolutionary morality of our leaders,” Pandor remarked, voicing concerns over the ANC’s declining electoral performance and diminishing ethical leadership.
These worries are poignant, particularly following the ANC’s significant loss in support during the 2024 general elections, which resulted in the historic loss of its parliamentary majority. This outcome precipitated the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), plagued by tensions, especially between former opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
During her address, Pandor stressed the urgent need for a “new cadre of renewal,” stating, “We have forgotten that we exist to serve the people. We need to bring that back—by scrutinising our leaders carefully and ensuring that if they fail in their duties, we hold them to account, no matter their position.” Her call for accountability was directed towards leaders who, in her view, search for solutions externally rather than taking decisive action themselves.
Moreover, she championed a message of unity within the movement, advocating for intergenerational cooperation. Addressing the challenges older women face in the ANC, Pandor remarked, “Now, having suffered from being called an ‘old woman’ by ANC members, I really hope we create value out of intergenerational cooperation.”
She insisted that it is indeed possible to restore the ANC’s former glory, stating, “The people are looking at us with disdain. The people are looking at us with horror and shame.”
Despite Mbalula’s support for Pandor, he did not hesitate to condemn disparaging comments made by former Cabinet Minister Malusi Gigaba and suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu about the party, confirming that disciplinary hearings will be pursued against them.