Inside the ANC’s latest reshuffle whispers as conference battle lines form

In the corridors of Parliament, the real drama often happens long before anyone steps up to a podium.

This week, it’s the whispers that are growing louder, talk of an impending shake-up within the African National Congress (ANC) caucus that could reshape internal power dynamics ahead of next year’s elective conference.

At the centre of it all are two heavyweight names: Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula and Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

A reshuffle or a strategic chess move?

According to a source close to the secretary-general’s office, an internal memo has been circulated to ANC caucus leadership announcing a meeting to be addressed by Mbalula.

On paper, reshuffling portfolio committee chairpersons is routine business. Parties regularly move MPs around to refresh leadership or strengthen oversight.

But insiders suggest this time it may be about something deeper: influence.

The claim is that the proposed changes could sideline chairpersons believed to align with Mashatile a move that would consolidate Mbalula’s grip ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested leadership conference next year.

Historically, ANC presidential contests have often drawn candidates from within the party’s “Top Six” leadership structure, particularly the deputy president or the secretary-general. With current party president Cyril Ramaphosa serving his final term, the succession debate has quietly intensified.

The stakes behind committee chairs

To the public, a portfolio committee chairperson might sound like a technical parliamentary role.

Inside the ANC, it’s something else entirely.

These positions carry political weight, visibility and influence over legislative processes. They also come with resources and networks that can be valuable in internal campaigns.

One insider described it bluntly: deployment often comes with benefits, and patronage remains a currency in modern politics.

In simple terms, if you control key positions, you shape loyalty.

Parliament senses movement

An opposition MP, speaking anonymously, said he had noticed increased ANC caucus activity in recent weeks.

“There’s been a lot of back-and-forth meetings,” he noted, suggesting that something may be brewing behind closed doors.

While no official confirmation of a reshuffle has been issued, the political temperature inside Parliament appears to be rising.

Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said such manoeuvres would not be surprising given the ANC’s history of internal factional battles playing out through state and party structures.

He cautioned that, although speculation remains unconfirmed, leadership contests in the party have often influenced deployment decisions.

A crowded succession field

While much of the attention has focused on a potential Mbalula–Mashatile face-off, other names have circulated in political conversations.

Among them are Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and businessman Patrice Motsepe, although formal declarations have not been made.

Still, party tradition suggests that the strongest contenders usually emerge from its senior ranks. That reality places both the secretary-general and the deputy president firmly in the spotlight.

Public reaction: fatigue or fascination?

On social media, reactions range from political fatigue to sharp cynicism. Some users argue that leadership battles distract from pressing national issues like unemployment and service delivery. Others see the internal contest as inevitable in a party that remains South Africa’s governing force.

For many South Africans, ANC conferences are not abstract political gatherings. They determine who leads the country and shape policy direction for years.

What this moment really signals

Whether or not a reshuffle materialises, the speculation itself reveals something important: the 2027 ANC conference campaign has effectively begun.

Internal alignments are forming. Loyalties are being tested. Influence is being measured.

And in politics, perception can be as powerful as action.

For now, the memo has sparked more questions than answers. Neither Mbalula nor ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri had responded publicly at the time of writing.

But one thing is certain: as Ramaphosa’s final term winds down, the race to shape the ANC’s future is no longer happening quietly.

It’s happening in plain sight, one committee chair at a time.

{Source: IOL}

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