Leaked WhatsApp text messages have revealed the extent to which ANC head of organising Mdu Manana is embroiled in factional wars of children at the ANC-aligned Cosas.
Manana has been fingered for sticking his nose in the affairs of Cosas, where members of the ANC’s “kindergarten” organisation are always at each other’s throats for one reason or another.
In one of the text messages, Manana is seen threatening a Cosas national executive committee (NEC) member, Siphiwe Maname.
Joburg mayor catches stray bullet
In the heated text exchange, which we have seen, Manana tells Maname that even Joburg mayor Dada Morero cannot save him.
Manana’s threats came after Maname’s political foes at Cosas complained about his alleged disruptive behaviour.
Maname was accused of allegedly being “ill-disciplined”. He is accused of fighting his comrades while buying alcohol for some to problematise his opponents.
This is normal behaviour within the Cosas and Sasco circles, where ANC kids try to outmuscle each other to climb the political ladder by any means necessary.
Manana did not take kindly to this, as he promptly dispatched a WhatsApp rebuke to Maname in what has been described as him defending those Cosas comrades who are loyal to him.
“When I come for you, not even Dada (Morero) that you namedrop will save you. I have spoken to Cde Dada. This will be the last structure you lead if you do not know me very well,” fired Manana in a fiery WhatsApp exchange.
Accused of buying learners alcohol
“You are very rogue. Buying learners alcohol, disrupting an induction of Cosas and threatening young people.”
Manana sent another message, which he quickly deleted.
The Cosas leader, Maname, fired back in a long essay. He called out Manana’s rebuke of smacking divisiveness, crying about not being heard before the threats directed at him from senior leadership.
“I was never given an opportunity to respond to the allegations levelled against me. This is not merely a personal attack. It is an orchestrated attempt to tarnish my reputation and misrepresent my political convictions,” Maname cut Manana to size.
“During the NEC induction, our role was to engage critically — posing questions and offering insights. I challenge anyone to produce evidence that I made any reference to NEC members of the ANC in that setting.
Maname tries to be voice of reason
“Regrettably, we are allowing grievances and petty rivalries to consume us. Diverting us from critical work we should be doing. There is far too much political jealousy at play.”
Maname goes on to speak about his deep respect and comradeship with Manana.
But he cautions Manana not to be recruited into “undeniable tensions” within Cosas’s top leadership. He believes the kids are capable of resolving among themselves.
“I will not allow my name to be tainted by falsehoods and political machinations that serve no purpose other than to divide and weaken our movement,” Maname finished off his response to Manana.
Manana told Sunday World that he was merely responding to calls by Cosas to set Maname straight and narrow after going rogue at a Cosas NEC induction.
“The so-called Maname beat up the Cosas National Spokesperson, Cde Bongani Mpungose,” said Manana. Mpungose is a 14-year-old scholar.
“The SG of Cosas reported the conduct of Maname to me and I said he must be taken to DC. That is what must be reported: how an older Cosas leader beat up a 14-year-old boy and bought NEC members alcohol.
Manana claims he was restoring order
“Now, if telling a bully that he will be hauled to DC and be removed from the body politic of the Mass Democratic Movement for assaulting a minor is a THREAT, then it means we have different interpretations of the word.”
Maname could not be reached for comment and had not responded to questions sent to them at the time of publishing.
This publication recently reported Manana’s alleged interference with regional conference processes of the ANC in Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and Mpumalanga.
This fiddling allegedly led to Manana being stripped of some powers that had been delegated to him by secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. He yanked those powers back following unprecedented complaints about Manana, including by provincial chairpersons of the ANC in Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape, Mandla Ndlovu and Oscar Mabuyane.
