Lesufi Urges ANC Joburg to Stop Squabbling Over a ‘Sinking Ship’

Gauteng premier warns delegates to prioritise the party over factional fights as regional conference gets underway

Johannesburg Gauteng premier and ANC NEC member Panyaza Lesufi delivered a stark warning to delegates at the opening of the ANC Johannesburg regional elective conference on Wednesday night: stop fighting for control of the party and focus on saving it from decline.

“And in this ship, this ship is sinking. It’s sinking at a faster rate. Instead of all of us collectively determining how to save this ship, we are squabbling amongst ourselves about who is the owner of the ship,” Lesufi said.

With his trademark mix of blunt metaphor and urgency, Lesufi cautioned that individual ambitions would be meaningless if the organisation itself continues to falter.

“You can be the owner of the ship, but it will be at the belly of the sea. It will be a meaningless ship. And then all of us will sink,” he warned.

Prioritising the ANC Over Factional Numbers

Lesufi emphasised that delegates should demonstrate the strength of the African National Congress as a movement, not the power of individual factions.

“Even if somebody has stolen your delegate, even if somebody has promised you a delegate, even if somebody said you will bring the numbers if the numbers don’t number the African National Congress, the African National Congress must number,” he said.

He called on the conference to focus on pressing societal challenges that have eroded public support, such as corruption, unemployment, poor service delivery, and illegal immigration.

“Let’s close shopfitting because our movement must be the movement that advances these areas of our people,” Lesufi said. “If these issues are not part of our resolutions, comrades, we will remain irrelevant to our people.”

Leadership Contest Intensifies

Outgoing regional chairperson Dada Morero is seeking re-election, while former deputy secretary-general Loyiso Masuku is challenging him for the top regional position. Delegates from party branches are expected to elect new leaders who will guide the ANC in Johannesburg for the next three years.

The outcome could have wider implications for city governance. If Morero loses the regional chairperson race, the party will need to decide whether he remains City of Johannesburg mayor, a position he currently holds until the end of the local government term in November 2026.

The Path Forward

The conference schedule is tightly packed: regional officials will be nominated and voted for on Thursday afternoon, with results expected by the evening.

Lesufi’s call serves as a reminder that Johannesburg’s ANC faces a pivotal moment. Social media commentators have already highlighted the tension between personal ambition and collective responsibility, noting that public patience with internal squabbles is thin, especially as the city struggles with service delivery and economic challenges.

The next 48 hours could determine not just the ANC’s leadership in Johannesburg, but its credibility and relevance in the eyes of its constituents.

{Source: IOL}

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