An ANC member who lodged a complaint against Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi over his public remarks on Emfuleni has come under fierce attack from party activists in Sedibeng, escalating internal tensions as the provincial leadership battle intensifies.
The complaint by Elijah Mokhele to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and Gauteng ANC coordinator Hope Papo triggered a sharp political response from ANC activists in the region, who dismissed it as a calculated attempt to undermine Lesufi’s standing in the party.
Mokhele, a member of the Fihli Mbongo branch in the Sedibeng region, accused Lesufi of making politically damaging statements during a podcast interview.
‘Attempt’ to weaken the premier
He claimed that Lesufi’s reported remark that the ANC “has no ideas” to resolve service delivery failures in the Emfuleni local municipality risked demoralising volunteers and weakening the party’s campaign message ahead of local government elections.
Mokhele called on the ANC’s national leadership to intervene and ensure that senior leaders exercise discipline in their public utterances during the sensitive pre-election period, stressing that no individual should act in a manner that undermines collective positions.
The initial complaint over a podcast remark has transformed into a broader political dispute.
In a strongly worded internal response circulating within Sedibeng structures, critics accused Mokhele of attempting to “decampaign” Lesufi by escalating a regional grievance to the national stage.
The response, which Sunday World received with authority, describes Mokhele’s correspondence with the secretary-general as “a transparent attempt” to weaken the premier politically after allegedly failing to gain traction within regional structures.
Those behind the response also questioned Mokhele’s standing to raise the complaint, accusing him of presenting himself as a moral authority while allegedly engaging in public attacks against regional leadership on social media.
Lesufi gets nod to contest top position
The statement goes further, claiming the complaint was less about organisational discipline and more about personal positioning within the ANC’s internal politics.
“It is not an act of principled engagement,” the response states, but rather an effort to elevate a regional dispute into a provincial political issue at a time when branches are beginning to line up behind Lesufi’s expected bid to return as ANC Gauteng chairperson.
The clash comes as Lesufi mounts a political comeback after the ANC Gauteng provincial executive committee was disbanded due to the party’s poor electoral performance in 2024.
His branch in Ekurhuleni has already nominated him for provincial chairperson, with several others expected to follow as the ANC prepares for fresh elective processes in the province.
By the time of publication, efforts to get Lesufi’s response were unsuccessful. The premier’s comment will be included when he has responded.
