Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Organization

African National Congress

Also known as: ANC · ANC Youth League · the ANC · the party · African National Congress (ANC)

African National Congress — South African ruling party facing structural decline, internal tensions, and declining electoral support ahead of local elections.

Politics

ANC demands members choose between party, SACP

The News

The ANC has given its members who also belong to the SACP a 10-day deadline to declare which party they will campaign for in local elections, after the SACP announced it would contest independently. The move highlights tensions within the historically intertwined alliance and poses practical complications for senior figures like SACP chairperson Blade Nzimande and ANC Chair Gwede Mantashe, both of whom hold ministerial positions.

23 April 2026 · The Namibian

Yesterday

  1. ANC demands members choose between party, SACP

    The ANC has given its members who also belong to the SACP a 10-day deadline to declare which party they will campaign for in local elections, after the SACP announced it would contest independently. The move highlights tensions within the historically intertwined alliance and poses practical complications for senior figures like SACP chairperson Blade Nzimande and ANC Chair Gwede Mantashe, both of whom hold ministerial positions.

    23 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 21 April

  1. Swapo marks 66 years; leaders warn history cannot secure future

    On Swapo's 66th anniversary, party leader Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that while the party's liberation struggle history is important, it alone cannot carry the party forward as people now expect tangible improvements in jobs, housing, healthcare, and education. Political analysts noted Swapo's waning electoral support over recent elections due to corruption and declining leadership quality, though the party remains the country's strongest with functional regional structures.

    21 April 2026 · New Era

Thursday 16 April

  1. South Africa appoints Roelf Meyer as US ambassador

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a former apartheid-era negotiator and longtime friend of Ramaphosa, as ambassador to the United States. The appointment comes after the country's previous envoy, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled last year following his criticism of President Trump, leaving the post vacant amid strained diplomatic relations.

    16 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 15 April

  1. South Africa's DA party elects young new leader to broaden appeal

    Geordin Hill-Lewis, 39, has become leader of South Africa's second-largest Democratic Alliance party, tasked with extending its support beyond its predominantly white and minority voter base to the black majority who make up about 80% of the population. Hill-Lewis has acknowledged a "trust deficit" and says winning the trust of more black South Africans will be his main focus, supported by a more diverse and younger senior leadership team than his predecessors.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 5 April

  1. US ambassador allegedly coordinating political pressure on South Africa

    According to The Namibian, US ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III has publicly demanded that South Africa withdraw from its genocide case against Israel, abandon broad-based black economic empowerment, and repeal the Expropriation Act. The article alleges that Bozell is coordinating with AfriForum, a civil rights group, and South African politicians Gayton McKenzie and Mmusi Maimane to apply pressure on the ANC government through legal, political, and diplomatic channels.

    5 April 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 2 April

  1. Minister Tolashe accused of false statement about luxury SUV donation

    A Daily Maverick investigation suggests South African Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe falsely told Parliament that two luxury SUVs were donated to the ANC Women's League, when records show the vehicles were registered in the names of her children in April 2024 without being disclosed in accordance with government ethics codes.

    2 April 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 26 March

  1. South African court reveals state capture network through tender kingpin

    Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's court appearance and testimony at the Madlanga Commission reveals how tender kingpins like Edwin Sodi cultivate political insiders through access and luxury to capture the state from within. The case demonstrates a pattern of patronage networks and state capture similar to previous scandals, with Matlala allegedly developing connections to high-ranking politicians before his arrest on fraud and corruption charges related to a R360-million police tender.

    26 March 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 23 March

  1. South Africa: ANC signals mayoral strategy for Johannesburg election

    President Ramaphosa's comments suggesting retention of Johannesburg's current mayor signal possible ANC plans to impose a national candidate on the region, while the party's recent march focused on defending national sovereignty appears designed to shift campaign messaging away from local service delivery failures to broader anti-Trump and liberation movement themes.

    23 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 19 March

  1. Russian agents conducted covert operations in South Africa elections

    A data leak reviewed by Forbidden Stories reveals that Russian influence agents engaged in covert operations during South African election campaigns between 2019 and 2025, including secret meetings with ANC leadership, smear campaigns against opposition parties, and fabricated documents. The Company, a network run by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, allocated significant budgets for online disinformation campaigns and paid social media influencers to target political opponents.

    19 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 12 March

  1. ANC appears unfocused ahead of upcoming local elections

    According to The Namibian opinion analysis, South Africa's ANC faces upcoming local elections with little apparent focus on governance messaging or strategic preparation, while the party confronts internal disputes, municipal service delivery failures, and dwindling support from coalition partners that could further erode its electoral standing.

    12 March 2026 · The Namibian

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