A political analyst says public criticism from ANC NEC members Malusi Gigaba and suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has exposed deep internal divisions within the party, warning that disciplinary action against the two could further stifle debate and weaken internal cohesion.

This follows the African National Congress (ANC)’s announcement that it will take disciplinary action against Gigaba and Mchunu over recent public statements that the party says violated its internal protocols.

Gigaba, a former cabinet minister, told the Sunday Times newspaper that the ANC’s national executive committee had “failed in its objectives”. 

Meanwhile, IOL News previously reported that, speaking at the tombstone unveiling of anti-apartheid activist Nokuhamba Nyawo in Machobeni, KwaZulu-Natal, Mchunu warned that the 2026 local government elections would be a critical juncture for the ANC’s survival.

Mchunu likened the ANC to “a person walking on the edge of a cliff,” urging the party to regroup before it is too late. 

He said if the ANC failed to win next year’s municipal elections, it would be forced to “kiss power goodbye”, adding that the party would not survive the next national elections in its current state.

“We became big-headed and took the people for granted – they punished us. But there’s still time to mend our ways,” Mchunu said.

He admitted that the party had alienated its base following the May 2024 general elections.

Speaking to IOL News, political analyst Solly Rashilo said the remarks by Gigaba and Mchunu reveal serious fractures within the ANC.

“They highlight a leadership more focused on control than uniting the party or addressing its declining relevance, revealing a disconnect from its revolutionary mission,” Rashilo said.

He argued that the pair likely chose to go public due to ineffective internal channels for addressing grievances.

“Public platforms allowed them to force accountability and reach the ANC’s base, reflecting frustration with a leadership unresponsive to critical concerns,” he said.

“I don’t support disciplining them – it stifles debate and deepens divisions. Punishing dissent won’t solve the ANC’s issues and may encourage more public criticism, as members see internal avenues as futile. Open engagement, not punishment, is needed for renewal.”

Another political analyst, Professor Theo Neethling, said the ANC appears increasingly thin-skinned about criticism from within, expressing doubt on the party’s cohesion and image as a ”broad political church.”

“Any suggestion that the organisation is divided, incoherent, or in decline seems to touch a raw nerve. This sensitivity likely reflects mounting internal anxiety ahead of next year’s local government elections,” he told IOL News.

“It also suggests a harder line: the ANC seems determined to stamp out internal dissent by discouraging criticism from its leaders and silencing members who air grievances in public.”

Neethling said the swift disciplinary action against Gigaba and Mchunu raises questions.

“That decision not only raises eyebrows about the ANC’s internal cohesion and the party’s sudden urge for swift disciplinary action, but also risks playing straight into the hands of the MK party and others waiting to exploit divisions,” he said.

Neethling said Gigaba’s political trajectory is telling.

“He stood firmly by Jacob Zuma during the former president’s most turbulent years, even lashing out at respected ANC veterans like Ahmed Kathrada when they called on Zuma to step down. And despite Zuma’s breakaway to form his own party, Gigaba has continued to show him respect as a former ANC leader. But his fortunes seem to be on the decline – and that loyalty may well have counted against him.”

Mchunu, by contrast, has a different backstory.

“Once a trusted ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa and a senior Cabinet minister, he has seen his star fade rapidly. His sudden fall from grace suggests perhaps more than just disciplinary housekeeping – it points to growing rifts inside the ANC and hints that powerful figures within the party may now be turning against Mchunu.”

Mchunu was recently placed on special leave by Ramaphosa following allegations of political interference and the shielding of criminal networks within the South African Police Service (SAPS) by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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