Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
The unfolding public spat between Gauteng ANC chairman Panyaza Lesufi and the party’s national leadership exposes deepening fissures within the African National Congress.
Lesufi’s recent comments on social media and a podcast, where he expressed opposition to the ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU), have put him at odds with the national executive committee (NEC) and thrust him into a potential leadership battle ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in December 2027.
Add to this the unhappiness from the ANC’s tripartite alliance partners, particularly from the SACP, and one sees how the battle lines will be drawn, leading up to 2027.
Lesufi’s refusal to embrace the NEC's GNU resolution has led to fallout in local governance negotiations, including the removal of DA mayor Cilliers Brink in Tshwane. While Lesufi has been coy about his ambitions, his public posture increasingly suggests a maneuvering for power, and positioning himself as a key challenger to Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership in the coming years.
The ANC's move to rein in Lesufi, led by Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, risks igniting a broader internal rebellion. Mbalula’s summons to Lesufi, demanding he explain his deviation from ANC policy, is a clear attempt to discipline the provincial leader. However, this reprimand could backfire, especially in a week when former KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu dumped the ANC citing his opposition to the GNU- a defection that adds to growing dissent within the party's ranks.
Moreover, this internal clash comes at a time when the ANC is grappling with local governance challenges in Gauteng, where Lesufi’s provincial executive appears determined to nominate former ANC Tshwane chairperson Kgosi Maepa for mayor, in defiance of national preferences for Eugene Modise. This battle over local leadership only underscores Lesufi’s increasing autonomy and highlights the deepening rift between the provincial and national structures of the ANC.
As the ANC seeks to stabilize itself post-election, the suppression of figures like Lesufi could be a double-edged sword. The move to sideline or charge Lesufi risks emboldening his supporters, laying the groundwork for a fierce leadership contest in 2027 that could fundamentally reshape the party's future.
* Quinton Mtyala, is the Western Cape Regional News Editor.
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