Also known as: secretary-general Fikile Mbalula
Fikile Mbalula — ANC secretary-general, facing legal threat from Eastern Cape provincial secretary over candidate list defamation claims.
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The Namibian
Fikile Mbalula allegedly claimed Lulama Ngcukayitobi was responsible for Eastern Cape's candidate-list failure
“Mbalula reportedly attributed the Eastern Cape's candidate-list problems to the provincial leadership, and specifically Ngcukayitobi.”
ANC election-list war heats up as Eastern Cape secretary threatens to sue Fikile MbalulaThe Namibian
Fikile Mbalula sought to enter race for ANC party presidency
“With the favourite for that role, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, so ill he can't campaign, the secretary-general sought to make hay while the sun shines.”
ANC list fight reveals rise of federal power blocsThe Namibian
Secretary general Fikile Mbalula should call urgent national executive committee or national working committee meeting according to expert
“"I think at this point, we see an ANC that is in crisis and I would expect that the secretary general (Fikile Mbalula) or whoever is responsible, calls an urgent national executive committee meeting, or even the national working committee to discuss this as a matter of urgency and priority – not only for the ANC but for the country – because we are not only speaking of a politician here who's an incumbent of the ANC, but about a head of state," Mathebula says.”
Phala Phala ruling: ANC at crossroads for 2026The Namibian
Fikile Mbalula met with Russian influence agent code name '9477' on 23 December 2024 in Johannesburg
“On 23 December 2024, in the private lounge at the African Pride Hotel in Johannesburg, a Russian influence agent – code name '9477' – and his translator met with one of the most influential men in South Africa.”
Russian agents pull strings in SAThe Namibian
Mbalula got 15 percentage points more than Mashatile in the SRF poll
“Among ANC voters, Mbalula got 15 percentage points more than Mashatile in the SRF poll.”
The race to rule the ANC after Cyril — new numbers, new front-runnersThe Namibian
party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula threatened legal action against Ezulweni
“At the time, party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula threatened legal action but then entered settlement talks, under which the party paid R68-million, much of it from third parties, several of whom are said to enjoy lucrative state tenders.”
ANC’s R1bn in public funds at risk as insolvency beckonsThe Namibian
Fikile Mbalula was first to confirm Mabuza's death on Thursday afternoon
“Fikile Mbalula, the secretary-general of Mabuza's political home, the African National Congress (ANC), was the first to confirm Mabuza's death on Thursday afternoon.”
Ramaphosa confirms death of former deputy president David Mabuza, aged 64The Namibian
Mbalula was found by Public Protector to have received a paid holiday from a sporting goods chain while minister of sport
“Or that he was found by a Public Protector to have received a paid holiday from a sporting goods chain while minister of sport.”
ANC succession battle — the pros and cons of the top candidates vying for Ramaphosa’s jobThe Namibian
Fikile Mbalula is the obvious younger ANC leader, now 47
“The obvious answer is Fikile Mbalula. Who is now 47.”
ANC, A Rapidly Ageing Party Still Dwelling In The PastEastern Cape ANC secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi is threatening to sue Fikile Mbalula, the party's secretary-general, for defamation over claims that Ngcukayitobi was responsible for the ANC's failure to submit candidate lists on time. Ngcukayitobi's lawyers have demanded Mbalula retract the allegations by 12 midday on Tuesday, 22 September.
18 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Eastern Cape ANC secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi is threatening to sue Fikile Mbalula, the party's secretary-general, for defamation over claims that Ngcukayitobi was responsible for the ANC's failure to submit candidate lists on time. Ngcukayitobi's lawyers have demanded Mbalula retract the allegations by 12 midday on Tuesday, 22 September.
18 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The ANC's candidate list crisis for 4 November local elections is revealing deep divisions as powerful provincial and regional blocs defy the party centre, with 181 councillor candidates failing to register. The conflict suggests the party's traditional structure of democratic centralism is weakening as it becomes increasingly federalised, with provincial power brokers scuttling reform candidates backed by national leaders.
15 September 2026 · The Namibian →
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced he will pursue a judicial review of a Section 89 independent panel report that could lead to his impeachment over the Phala Phala saga. The Constitutional Court cleared the path for a public impeachment hearing into Ramaphosa's conduct on 8 May.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled that the National Assembly's December 2022 vote declining to refer an independent panel's report on President Cyril Ramaphosa to an impeachment committee was unconstitutional and invalid, and has now referred the report directly to the impeachment committee. An analyst says the ANC's use of majoritarian tactics to shield Ramaphosa has left the party in crisis ahead of 2026 local elections.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
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 →
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 →
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 →