ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has named the party’s new top six leaders in KwaZulu-Natal, after the provincial structure was disbanded for its dismal performance in the May 2024 elections, saying a “mammoth task” lies ahead for them.
Mbalula led a delegation to Durban on Tuesday to announce the reconfigured leadership, which consists of provincial convenor Jeff Radebe, first deputy convenor Weziwe Thusi, second deputy convenor Siboniso Duma, provincial coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu, deputy coordinator Nomusa Dube-Ncube and provincial fundraiser Nomagugu Simelane.
Radebe previously held several ministerial positions and served as the ANC’s head of policy. His government tenure ended in 2019 when he was not reappointed to the cabinet, and he lost his ANC national executive committee (NEC) position in 2022.
They will take over from the contingent that led the party at the time of the May elections, in which the ANC’s support in the province plummeted from 54.22% in 2019 to 17% in 2024, reducing its legislature seats from 44 to 14.
KwaZulu-Natal, once the ANC’s largest province by membership, became a battleground after the rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
The ANC was relegated to a smaller partner in the provincial government, led by Inkatha Freedom Party leader and premier Thami Ntuli in a coalition with the Democratic Alliance and the National Freedom Party.
Mbalula said the party must match the MK party’s growing influence with a more effective political strategy.
“We are fighting a Ferrari there with a Conquest; we need to match a Ferrari with a flying machine that moves faster in seconds,” he said.
The restructuring has not been without controversy.
Former KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary Bheki Mtolo has previously criticised the move, arguing that if provincial disbandment was a result of electoral failure, then the NEC itself should be dissolved, given the ANC’s national decline from 57% to 40%.
On Tuesday, Mbalula said Mtolo will be the convener of policy, planning and monitoring and would remain on the ANC’s payroll until his term as then-provincial secretary ends. “No one has been thrown to the streets here. We’ve got everyone on board,” he said.
Mbalula said the reconfigured leadership was a necessary step in the party’s renewal process and that its programme would be closely monitored by national officials.
He dismissed any notion of placating rival political parties. “The time to lament and kowtow to other political parties is over.”
The task team will begin implementing its mandate on Monday, with the first six months being critical to the ANC’s rebuilding efforts.
Mbalula commended the party’s structures for their discipline in accepting leadership decisions on the reconfiguration of the KwaZulu-Natal province.
He underscored the ANC’s historical legacy in the region, drawing inspiration from past leaders such as John Langalibalele Dube, Chief Albert Luthuli and Moses Mabhida.
“As much as we do have people in our organisation who don’t agree on this reconfiguration, over time they will understand that the intentions were noble,” he said.
“The intervention approved by the NEC seeks to strengthen the movement by integrating experienced leadership with a renewed commitment to political education, organisational discipline, and grassroots mobilisation,” Mbalula said.
One of the key tasks of the new leadership is to rebuild relationships with amakhosi and faith-based organisations. Mbalula said these structures play a vital role in guiding society and should be part of the ANC’s strategy to restore unity and social cohesion.
“The ANC acknowledges the historical and moral authority of these structures and affirms the need to strengthen our collaboration to advance unity, social cohesion and transformation,” he said.
The decision to restructure was finalised during an ANC national working committee meeting on Monday night. The move is part of a broader strategy to rebuild support ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mbalula said the party was aware of factional battles that have weakened the ANC’s position but insisted that leadership could not be held hostage by internal disputes.
“Those who want to hold us to ransom cannot stop us. Our decreased majority has actually brought us to where we are.”
He said the task team would periodically address deployment matters, a responsibility typically managed by the secretary and the deployment committee.
He described the reconfiguration decision as a “decisive intervention”.
