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Limpopo’s Power Struggle: Can Mbalula Save the ANC from Tearing Itself Apart?
A dramatic resignation offer, messy regional battles, and the future of a stronghold province on the line
South Africa’s political landscape has never been short on drama, but this week, Limpopo’s ANC delivered a plot twist few saw coming. Stan Mathabatha, the province’s long-standing ANC chair and Premier, made headlines after formally indicating his wish to step down, a move that has thrown the party’s regional structure into turbulence and left national leadership scrambling for solutions.
His resignation letter, addressed to Luthuli House, wasn’t just a quiet exit note. It came with a laundry list of accusations around misconduct, questionable conference processes, and a warning that the party’s core values were being eroded in key regions like Vhembe and Waterberg.
Mbalula moves in fast
In response, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula wasted no time. Within 48 hours of receiving the letter, he convened an urgent meeting with Mathabatha and announced further engagements with Limpopo’s broader provincial leadership.
Set for Thursday, these high-stakes discussions are being framed as a last-ditch effort to restore calm and unity in a province that has long been seen as a safe seat for the ruling party.
But make no mistake, this is no routine disagreement. Behind closed doors, the fractures run deep.
Factional fault lines and leaking letters
While the ANC urged members to follow proper channels, the reality is that Mathabatha’s letter ended up on social media before the leadership could act. The leak stirred speculation about deepening factional battles and mistrust within Limpopo’s corridors of power.
Political analysts aren’t surprised. According to Professor André Duvenhage, the tensions in Vhembe and Waterberg aren’t isolated. They’re part of a larger web of internal struggles that have plagued the ANC for years.
And if Mathabatha walks away? That could spell a serious blow to the party’s provincial hold.
A province on the edge
Limpopo has traditionally been one of the ANC’s most reliable electoral bases. But recent surveys suggest that support is sliding, with projections showing that the party may be dipping below 30% in some parts of the country.
This leadership turmoil couldn’t come at a worse time. With national elections around the corner, the party can ill afford a public fallout in a province it relies on.
If Mathabatha leaves, it’s not just a reshuffle. It’s a potential vacuum in a critical region, at a time when the ANC is already battling public trust issues, coalition uncertainty, and voter fatigue.
Mixed signals from ANC leaders
Adding to the confusion, Maropene Ramokgopa, the ANC’s second deputy secretary-general, recently praised the very same Waterberg regional conference that Mathabatha criticised. She described it as peaceful, well-organised, and “unifying,” a direct contradiction to the concerns in the resignation letter.
The ANC insists that members have the right to raise concerns within formal structures. But when one of the province’s top leaders chooses to go public, even if unintentionally via a leaked letter, it suggests those internal processes might not be working as they should.
What happens next?
Mbalula’s meetings this week are being framed as a make-or-break moment for the Limpopo ANC. Alongside Vhembe and Waterberg, there are also complaints brewing in other regions like Peter Mokaba and Norman Mashabane.
The province has five major regions in total, and if disputes spread further, the ANC could find itself in disarray just months before a crucial election year.
Mbalula is expected to provide an update once the meetings conclude. Whether that update signals renewed unity or deepening cracks remains to be seen.
Also read: India and South Africa Just Signed a Major Business Deal; Here’s Why It Matters
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Source: The Citizen
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