ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has been accused of being behind the manipulation of Eastern Cape branches.

• The ANC in the Eastern Cape is headed to a crucial elective conference next week.
• ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi has complained about the manipulation of branches with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.
• Ngcukayitobi blames ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula for “trivialising” system lapses in branch systems. 

ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi has complained to the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) about a “troubling situation”, where secretary-general Fikile Mbalula allegedly mishandled dispute issues stemming from the “manipulation” of branches, among other things.

The complaint – mainly about membership system failures, manipulation and the inconsistent application of guidelines – comes ahead of the provincial elective conference in East London next week.

Ngcukayitobi is also at the helm of a faction challenging incumbent chair Oscar Mabuyane and his slate.

Ngcukayitobi set these issues out in a letter to the party’s NWC, which comprises ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, deputy president Paul Mashatile, Mbalula, chair Gwede Mantashe, ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, second deputy Maropene Ramakgopa, and treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa.

Ngcukayitobi’s letter expresses his fear that these issues could overshadow or influence the upcoming elective conference.

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In contrast, a video posted by ANC provincial spokesperson Yanga Zicina – on the same day as Ngcukayitobi’s letter – shows a jolly Mabuyane, saying the branch verification process is complete and therefore the conference may sit.

However, in Ngcukayitobi’s 19 March letter, addressed to Ramaphosa, he reminded leaders of a similar letter he sent to Mbalula on 12 August 2025, which was “both carelessly treated and was trivialised”.

That letter demonstrated how easy it is to manipulate the branch verification system, where members downloaded a members’ list and removed and edited membership data without seeking permission from Luthuli House.

Most regional conferences were delayed by disputes from the branches.

In his latest letter, Ngcukayitobi said his latest complaint was “propelled by his conscience” and the renewal programme, which the party reaffirmed at the national general council in 2025.

Ngcukayitobi said his office has been inundated with letters from branches and members about complaints, which “cannot be condoned in our bid to deliver a credible conference and avoid litigation”.

Ngcukayitobi added that some of the complaints fall beyond his ambit, but presumably within that of the NWC. He forwarded these to Mbalula.

Ngcukayitobi said:

He accused Luthuli House of the “irregular and inconsistent” release of QR codes to some branches, specifically pointing to Mbalula’s office as being behind the manipulation.

“The issuing of QR codes by the secretary-general’s office without following due processes (adopted ANC national executive committee guidelines) was a gateway to grand-scale manipulation of branches,” wrote Ngcukayitobi.

Ngcukayitobi said the release of QR codes without his knowledge spread across the Eastern Cape regions – Alfred Nzo, Dr Rubusana, Sara Baartman and OR Tambo regions.

He doesn’t rule out the “possibility” that this affected all regions.

Ngcukayitobi said that when the ANC tested its new system, he requested the power to test the QR codes, but was denied by the party’s head office.

He added: “It has been reported that the head office sent QR codes to individuals who have no responsibility in convening branch general meetings and sub-regional secretaries in the Alfred Nzo region.

“It is alleged that this gross deviation from ANC national executive committee-adopted guidelines happened in all sub-regions of about 106 branches in the region.”

He said he is happy to produce evidence if Ramaphosa and the NWC afford him an audience.

Ngcukayitobi said:

His letter came a few days after the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) called for a probe following trending videos of party members having been caught “manipulating” meetings through the scanners.

The PEC previously directed national executive committee deployees to the Eastern Cape – Thembi Simelane, Mmamoloko Kubayi and Mzwandile Masina – to investigate transgressions.

But Ngcukayitobi said this was ignored, and he was now “nudging” the NWC to take corrective measures.

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He also brought up a PEC decision which reversed the provincial integrity committee’s order that the Chris Hani District region mayor, Lusanda Sizani, step aside after he was criminally charged when his gun went missing.

“I advised the PEC against the decision, given the seriousness of the case, and how previously the PEC handled similar cases, but nonetheless the chairperson [Mabuyane] summed up contrary to the advice [on Sizani],” Ngcukayitobi said.

“This exposes the ANC to accusations of acting inconsistently or factionally.”

Sizani has prominently featured as the preferred incoming secretary on Mabuyane’s slate.

Mbalula, who communicates the NWC’s decisions, had not responded at the time of writing.