ANC SG Mbalula heading to KZN to bolster party's power ahead of polls

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula is heading back to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Wednesday, as the party prepares to wrestle back power in the province at the upcoming local government elections.

Mbalula said the visit is part of a drive to stabilise structures, improve organisational effectiveness and complete interventions to rebuild the ANC’s capacity in KZN.

This follows another shake-up of the party’s interim Provincial Task Team, with veteran Jeff Radebe replaced as convenor by the ANC's former deputy chairperson in the province, Mike Mabuyakhulu.

The ANC reconfigured its KZN leadership earlier this month, after dissolving the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in 2024 and installing a task team.

ALSO READ:

• 'Beyond every crook, there is a political figure' - Mbalula

• ANC facing an 'existential crisis' - Mbalula

This followed a sharp electoral decline, from 54% in 2019 to just 17% in 2024.

Jeff Radebe’s leadership had faced growing criticism, with Mbalula previously likening the structure to this vehicle.

“That is a Tazz that is operating there. So, we need to get out of that particular situation. We’ve not been doing well.”

But Mabuyakhulu struck a more positive tone, describing the Tazz comparison as a symbol of reliability and accessibility among ordinary people.

Mbalula is expected to announce a streamlined Provincial Task Team and new regional structures during his visit to the province.