Tshediso Mangope
Yesterday I attended the Branch Biennial General Meeting in my branch. I was expecting politics, but what I found instead was unapologetic vulgarity. At some point, decency packed its bags and divorced the chamber.
A woman stood up and announced, with tall confidence, that she could stand naked on the table because she feared nothing. This was in addition to a plethora of rude things flying around.
For a moment, I wondered whether I had mistakenly walked into an ANC meeting or a late-night beerhall karaoke.
This is the curse of being a broad church. Once upon a time, being a broad church meant ideological diversity. Today, it means anything goes; no discipline, no decorum, no shame.
Nowadays, the only qualification for political participation other than paying the subscription is a willingness to embarrass the movement in public. Everyone is welcome, including political illiterates, attention seekers and professional disrupters who mistake chaos for radicalism.
Vulgarity has become a substitute for politics. If you cannot argue, shout. If you cannot reason, threaten. If you cannot persuade, remove your clothes. It seems we confuse being mass-based with being mannerless.
What makes this tragic is that all of this is done in the name of “fearlessness.” But there is nothing fearless about disorder. There is nothing radical about vulgarity. Standing naked on a table is not revolutionary; it is madness.
The founding fathers of the ANC taught us that freedom came with discipline. Oliver Tambo was very clear that “a revolutionary must be distinguished and distinguishable from a common criminal”. That distinction mattered because the struggle was moral before it was political. Our conduct today teaches the young ones that our minimum political programme is about freeing freedom from discipline.
The ANC’s authentic broad church produced the generation of Oliver Tambo. Today we struggle to produce a coherent sentence without insults and rudeness. The church has lost its altar, and the congregation is applauding the wrong things.
The real danger is not that the ANC is a broad church. The danger is that we have become a church without doctrine, without discipline and without self-respect.
Yesterday was not an isolated incident. It was a mirror. And what stared back at us was an organisation flirting with self-destruction. We have seen this play before, in almost all liberation movements that gained independence before us. Liberation movements are brought to heel not by enemies from without, but by scoundrels within.
We must decide whether we want to be a serious political force or a permanent stand-up situation. Reminded that history has been cruel to liberation movements and it certainly does not clap for nonsense.
*Tshediso Mangope is an ANC member in Mangaung and writes in his own capacity…
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of this publication (Journal News).
Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) will on Tuesday start working on its draft report on the Road Accident Fund (RAF) after its three-month long inquiry into maladministration.
Committee chairperson Songezo Zibi said he’s satisfied by the way the inquiry has been handled and believes it will set a benchmark for overseeing other troubled State entities.
The committee has, however, failed to get the former RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo to testify in response to the many allegations of misconduct levelled against him by witnesses after he snubbed parliamentary summonses to appear.
From a clean audit in 2020, the RAF followed that up with two disclaimers and three adverse audit opinions in the years that followed.
Following testimony from the Auditor General, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), accounting bodies, RAF officials, former staff and boards of the entity, SCOPA will now begin to draft its findings and recommendations.
Zibi said that he believes the process has been a worthwhile one, not only for the RAF.
“We will also be able to have more specific oversight criteria, so in the case of the RAF, we won’t rely on the annual report, which is what Parliament does, and management decides what it discloses in the annual report, so they drive the oversight themselves.”
Although Letsoalo challenged the authority of the committee to conduct the probe, Zibi said that he will be afforded the opportunity to respond to sections of the report that impact him.
“If he is inclined to take the report on review, then it needs to be clear from beginning to end that he was given every opportunity to comment on the report.”
The committee is expected to wrap up deliberations on the report for onward presentation to the National Assembly by the end of February.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
ANC Gauteng provincial task team co-convenor Panyaza Lesufi says the outcome of the party’s regional conference must be respected and that the leadership of the African National Congress in Johannesburg is legitimate and uncontested.
He was speaking at the ANC’s 114th anniversary January 8 celebrations in Soweto on Sunday.
Lesufi said the event was deliberately held in the region to send a strong message that any differences within the party must be addressed through proper channels and that the elected leadership must be given the recognition it deserves.
“If you don’t respect an elected leadership, we will attend to you not only today, tomorrow and forever because the leadership must be respected and the leadership must be given the necessary recognition that it needs,” he said.
He officially introduced the regional chairperson of the ANC in Johannesburg, Loyiso Masuku, along with the full regional leadership, emphasising that the leadership is undisputed.
Johannesburg’s member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Masuku, was elected as ANC Johannesburg regional chair in December, defeating current mayor Dada Morero. The outcome is seen as a potential trigger for changes in the city’s mayoral position.
Lesufi stressed that no one had taken the conference to court and that there was no dispute over the leadership of Johannesburg.
Lesufi said the national leadership was addressing issues with ballot papers and boxes, which he described as “clumsy” and “unnecessary.”
This follows the discovery of papers believed to be linked to the ANC’s Greater Johannesburg regional conference in December 2025 at a private home in Pretoria.
The conference has since been overshadowed by allegations of bribery and election manipulation, which are now under investigation by both the police and the party’s national leadership.
He added that any loss of confidence in leadership should be handled by accepting the outcome and preparing for the next conference.
Lesufi also cautioned against “hard comments” and calling for a culture of respect and adherence to conference processes.
Lesufi also praised members who had engaged with the ANC through proper channels and commended branches and structures that attended the National General Council (NGC). He highlighted the NGC’s clarity and unity, saying it reaffirmed that the only leader of the ANC is President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The NGC was very clear, comrades. And it was unanimous. There was only one leader of the African National Congress and that leader is Cyril Ramaphosa. There is no other leader of the African National Congress,” Lesufi said.
He further addressed issues of branch and regional mandates, saying the NGC had emphasised the need to end situations where delegates arrived at conference with mandates opposite to those given by branches or regions.
Lesufi noted the council had called for amendments to the ANC constitution to allow members to vote for new leadership directly and to decentralise membership systems to regions to prevent manipulation.
“The NGC was clear that the membership system must move from national and be decentralised to our region so that we get a control over it.
''We don’t want people that manipulate membership to favour a certain outcome. We also don’t want people to manipulate membership purely because they are scared of democracy in their own branches.''
“What is on the agenda is to deliver a decisive victory for the ANC in the forthcoming local government elections,” he said.
*This article was first published by IOL News
ANC Gauteng provincial task team co-convenor Panyaza Lesufi says the outcome of the party’s regional conference must be respected and that the leadership of the African National Congress in Johannesburg is legitimate and uncontested.
He was speaking at the ANC’s 114th anniversary January 8 celebrations in Soweto on Sunday.
Lesufi said the event was deliberately held in the region to send a strong message that any differences within the party must be addressed through proper channels and that the elected leadership must be given the recognition it deserves.
“If you don’t respect an elected leadership, we will attend to you not only today, tomorrow and forever because the leadership must be respected and the leadership must be given the necessary recognition that it needs,” he said.
He officially introduced the regional chairperson of the ANC in Johannesburg, Loyiso Masuku, along with the full regional leadership, emphasising that the leadership is undisputed.
Johannesburg’s member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Masuku, was elected as ANC Johannesburg regional chair in December, defeating current mayor Dada Morero. The outcome is seen as a potential trigger for changes in the city’s mayoral position.
Lesufi stressed that no one had taken the conference to court and that there was no dispute over the leadership of Johannesburg.
Lesufi said the national leadership was addressing issues with ballot papers and boxes, which he described as “clumsy” and “unnecessary.”
This follows the discovery of papers believed to be linked to the ANC’s Greater Johannesburg regional conference in December 2025 at a private home in Pretoria.
The conference has since been overshadowed by allegations of bribery and election manipulation, which are now under investigation by both the police and the party’s national leadership.
He added that any loss of confidence in leadership should be handled by accepting the outcome and preparing for the next conference.
Lesufi also cautioned against “hard comments” and calling for a culture of respect and adherence to conference processes.
Lesufi also praised members who had engaged with the ANC through proper channels and commended branches and structures that attended the National General Council (NGC). He highlighted the NGC’s clarity and unity, saying it reaffirmed that the only leader of the ANC is President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The NGC was very clear, comrades. And it was unanimous. There was only one leader of the African National Congress and that leader is Cyril Ramaphosa. There is no other leader of the African National Congress,” Lesufi said.
He further addressed issues of branch and regional mandates, saying the NGC had emphasised the need to end situations where delegates arrived at conference with mandates opposite to those given by branches or regions.
Lesufi noted the council had called for amendments to the ANC constitution to allow members to vote for new leadership directly and to decentralise membership systems to regions to prevent manipulation.
“The NGC was clear that the membership system must move from national and be decentralised to our region so that we get a control over it.
''We don’t want people that manipulate membership to favour a certain outcome. We also don’t want people to manipulate membership purely because they are scared of democracy in their own branches.''
“What is on the agenda is to deliver a decisive victory for the ANC in the forthcoming local government elections,” he said.
*This article was first published by IOL News
Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating alleged interference, corruption and misconduct within the South African Police Service (SAPS) is expected to hear testimony from forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan on Tuesday under tight security arrangements.
O’Sullivan confirmed to IOL that he returned to South Africa earlier than planned from London after learning that Parliament’s ad hoc committee is expected to conclude its work next week, saying it was important to place evidence before Members of Parliament rather than allow what he described as false narratives to go unchallenged.
His appearance before the ad hoc committee comes after he was scheduled to testify last week but did not attend, citing concerns for his personal safety. Members of the committee later acknowledged the security risks faced by certain witnesses and indicated that measures would be put in place to ensure safe and uninterrupted proceedings.
O’Sullivan told IOL that security arrangements around his appearance have since been beefed up, but said he would not discuss the finer details.
The ad hoc committee was established by Parliament to probe allegations of interference, corruption and misconduct within SAPS, and to identify systemic failures and make recommendations aimed at restoring the integrity of the police service.
O’Sullivan has rejected claims that his earlier absence amounted to an attempt to evade accountability, insisting that he is not “in the business of fleeing” and that his return was motivated by a desire to present evidence supporting allegations he has raised.
He has also dismissed accusations by some witnesses who appeared before the ad hoc committee that he infiltrated the Independent Police Investigative Directorate or exerted improper influence within law enforcement structures, describing the claims as false and defamatory.
Parliamentary sources told The Star that arrangements had been made to ensure that O’Sullivan can testify safely and without disruption. Details of the security measures have not been disclosed, but they are understood to include heightened protection and controlled access to the committee venue.
The Star reported that the ad hoc committee’s inquiry has generated significant public interest, as it examines claims that go to the heart of SAPS governance and credibility. According to the report, O’Sullivan’s testimony is expected to address his dealings with SAPS leadership, alleged interference in investigations, and his experiences within the criminal justice system.
The newspaper further reported that the ad hoc committee is expected to continue hearing from additional witnesses in the coming weeks before compiling a report to Parliament.
*This article was first published by IOL News
By JN Reporter
A new chapter begins at CENTLEC following the appointment of a new board tasked with steering the embattled electricity distributor towards stability and improved service delivery.
The appointments come at a critical time as the entity works to restore public confidence.
Mangaung Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi announced that the new board, led by chairperson M J Ntshudisane and deputy chairperson D Barlow, will serve until 31 January 2029.
“These new appointments follow a rigorous interview and selection process and subsequent approval by the Municipal Council. I have called upon the board to execute their duties with the highest level of professionalism and ethical conduct, and to sustain and improve CENTLEC’s performance as a centre of excellence on behalf of the people of Mangaung,” said Nthatisi.
The appointments follow controversy surrounding the energy distributor last year, which culminated in the resignation of four board members who alleged political interference in the utility’s operations. The dispute ultimately led to the dissolution of the board.
Defending the decision at the time, Nthatisi rejected the former members’ claims, stating that the board had failed to fulfil its mandate and had become entangled in internal conflicts with CENTLEC’s management.
“CENTLEC would have done well if it had been disbanded earlier. I must confess that mistakes were made when we established the board. We underestimated the importance of proper induction. Had we inducted the board appropriately, perhaps it would not have been disbanded,” he said.
Other newly appointed board members are G P Malaza, Adv L Tloubatla, Z Gcwili, A Godongwana and E D Markus.
