‘The ANC is not for sale’ – Lesufi tells Zille amid claims of ‘two ANCs in Gauteng’

DA

Cape Town — African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chairperson, Helen Zille, continue to butt heads following the removal of Cilliers Brink as Tshwane mayor.

Brink was voted out of office last week following a motion of no confidence (MONC) amid tensions between former Tshwane coalition partners, the DA and ActionSA. The ANC also tabled the MONC against Brink and following his exit, Helen Zille claimed that Brink’s removal was a tragedy for South Africa and the Government of National Unity (GNU).

“Cilliers Brink may be facing his last day as mayor of Tshwane. This is a tragedy, not only for South Africa and the government of national unity. The irony is that the motion has been brought against Cilliers not because he’s doing badly, but because he is doing well,” she said.

According to The Citizen, Zille issued an ultimatum to the ANC to bring Brink back or the DA would not enter talks in other metros, with the DA saying it would field Brink as a candidate again when the council gathers to vote for the next mayor.

“The Democratic Alliance will not abandon the residents of the capital city to the chaos caused by the ANC, enabled by ActionSA, which is set to benefit the EFF. We will field Cilliers Brink as a mayoral candidate to continue making progress in Tshwane,” said the party.

The DA also believes there are factions within the ANC, one which supports the GNU and another that does not. The anti-GNU faction was the reason behind Brink’s removal, the DA said.

“It is clear that the anti-GNU faction of the ANC is gaining the upper hand in the party, and to the extent that there is a pro-GNU faction, they simply do not have the will and wherewithal to stand up to those hollowing out the party from within,” she said.

Zille accused Lesufi of running a parallel ANC in Gauteng that goes against the decisions made by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Following Zille’s claims, Lesufi took to X and set the record straight regarding the decision to remove Brink from office.

“Gogo Helen Zille, the decision to support the motion of no confidence was taken by the national working committee of the ANC, and no amount of propaganda and misuse of media houses will change that narrative,” said Lesufi.

“The decision not to incorporate the DA into the Gauteng government of provincial unity was also taken by the national leadership of the ANC; the sooner you accept this reality, the sooner the healing process will begin. Call us names like rogue as you wish; the reality is the ANC will never be a branch of the DA,” he added.

In response, Zille said: “Another whopper from Lie-sufi.”

He responded again, saying the ANC is not for sale.

“Oksalayo, you will never dictate terms to us members of the ANC. Never! You can bring all your media friends and media houses; the ANC is not for sale. The ANC is one. There’s no provincial ANC nor local ANC; we are one ANC, not a federal movement.”

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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