PAC claims ANC's internal conflicts jeopardise service delivery

The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has accused the ANC of undermining stability, decision-making, and service delivery due to internal conflicts. 

This comes after the PAC announced its intention to withdraw its working arrangements with the ANC.

However, the ANC, on the other hand, stated that the PAC’s major concern is the recall of Tebogo Nkonkou, who represented the party as MMC for Community Development in the City of Johannesburg, in favour of the Al Jama-ah councillor, Thapelo Amad.

The PAC said the process will commence in Sedibeng District Municipality, followed by Emfuleni Local Municipality, and all municipalities in the province.

The party described the decision as a strategic and principled one. 

“The PAC is also considering its strategic options nationally in line with the interests of our people, accountable governance, and principled politics,” read the statement issued last week. 

The party entered into a working arrangement with the ANC by joining the Government of National Unity (GNU), following the 2024 national elections. 

Its leader, Mzwanele Nyhontso, was appointed as Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development in the GNU Cabinet. The party also secured the MMC position for Community Development in the City of Johannesburg.

However, Nkonkou was removed from his position as MMC last week.

This was after the Minority Governing Parties in Johannesburg passed a resolution to recall him in October last year, citing poor performance. 

But PAC Secretary-General Apa Pooe stated that the decision is rooted in the party’s values of accountable governance, political integrity, and service to communities, adding that the PAC cannot remain in arrangements that consistently undermine stability, decision-making, and service delivery due to internal party conflicts of a “partner organisation”.

The ANC in Gauteng faces significant internal conflicts centred around leadership disputes, regional conference irregularities, and ideological friction with national leadership. 

The most prominent conflict involves the Johannesburg region, where an elective conference, in December 2025, led to a legal and political standoff.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula reportedly instructed Gauteng provincial leaders to hand over conference materials to the SAPS for investigation into alleged irregularities. This follows the defeat of City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero, an ally of the national leadership, who lost the regional chair position to Loyiso Masuku, the first woman to hold this position. 

The disputes include claims that announced results did not match raw data, candidate lists were altered, and vote-buying occurred. 

The Gauteng ANC provincial leadership has denied police involvement, insisting that the investigation remains internal, highlighting a rift between the party’s provincial and national leadership.

This tension follows a February 2025 decision by the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) to reconfigure the provincial leadership, following poor election results in 2024.

ANC Johannesburg regional spokesperson Sasabona Manganye denied that there is conflict in the ANC, saying that the PAC is concerned about the removal of Nkonkou. 

Manganye said the decision to implement the removal of Nkonkou was taken in November, adding that the newly elected leadership executed the decision of the previous leadership led by Morero, as the mayor of Johannesburg. 

“The ANC is more united than before coming out of a successful regional conference, which elected the first female regional chairperson. The PAC must focus on its own internal party politics and stop making misleading and misinformed assumptions that the ANC is divided when there’s no such (thing). It is disappointing for such a former liberation movement to be reducing itself to this kind of behaviour,” said Manganye.

Pooe, however, said that the PAC’s decision is informed by experience, evidence, and political maturity — not emotion, reaction, or external pressure.

He added that each municipality will be addressed through its own council processes, in line with the law and council rules.

Asked if the party is also likely to withdraw its participation from the GNU, Pooe said the decision currently relates specifically to municipal working arrangements.

“The PAC is not announcing a withdrawal from the GNU at the national level at this time. However, we are continually assessing all political arrangements, nationally and provincially, based on performance, respect for partners, and alignment with our principles,” he said. 

Meanwhile, political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said he doesn’t think the PAC and other political parties understand the meaning of principle, adding that they use the word when it suits them. 

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za