Faction First? Mbalula Slammed for ‘Picking Sides’ in Buffalo City Chaos

As Buffalo City buckles, ANC councillors turn on their own and point fingers at the party’s top leadership

Buffalo City is no stranger to struggle. But this time, it’s not apartheid-era resistance or economic decline driving its collapse, it’s internal war within the African National Congress (ANC). The once-functioning metro, home to East London and Qonce, is caught in the crossfire of party infighting that’s spilled from City Hall into the streets.

And now, all eyes are on ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, accused of choosing sides in a feud that’s bleeding the municipality dry.

Cracks in the House of the Elephant

Once a proud metro known for clean audits and Vuna awards under late Mayor Sindisile Maclean, Buffalo City has become a cautionary tale of political decay. Its roads are scarred with potholes, public services barely function, and angry residents complain of being forgotten.

Behind the scenes, 61 ANC councillors, the majority of the city’s council are locked in a bitter internal battle. The focal point? Executive Mayor Princess Faku and Council Speaker Humphrey Maxegwana.

A full-blown mutiny is brewing: 45 councillors have reportedly turned against Faku. But instead of playing peacemaker, some party members accuse Mbalula of pouring fuel on the fire.

“He’s chosen a side not the side of the people, or the constitution, but the side of Princess Faku,” one disgruntled ANC insider told us. “He’s protecting the wrongdoers, not the ANC.”

Mbalula Responds, But Does It Help?

Mbalula, speaking out last week, acknowledged the infighting and warned that it was “spreading and becoming uncontrollable.” He blasted the disruption of council meetings and hinted at a national-level intervention.

However, many inside the ANC claim his comments were “reckless” and “uninformed.” The real issue, they say, is deeper than mere disruptions. According to them, it’s about a mayor who’s lost the trust of the majority and a leadership team that no longer reflects the will of the people or the party base.

His critics argue that rather than investigating the grievances of the 45 councillors, Mbalula is trying to discipline them into silence.

Buffalo City’s Lost Glory

To understand the outrage, you need to understand what Buffalo City once was. Under Mayor Maclean, Deputy Desmond Halley, and City Manager Mxolisi Tsika, the metro was a rare gem in the Eastern Cape. Budgets were clean, roads were maintained, and communities trusted their leaders.

Today, that legacy is a memory. Oxford and Buffalo Streets once bustling economic arteries are now pockmarked and nearly impassable. In surrounding villages, roads have become dongas, and essential services are a whisper of what they once were.

Online, Eastern Cape residents are voicing their frustration. On X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote: “We didn’t fight for democracy so that mayors could turn our cities into rubbish dumps while their comrades protect them from accountability.”

So What Now?

Mbalula has confirmed that the matter is now before the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which will decide on a way forward. But with accusations of factionalism, protectionism, and political favouritism swirling, trust is at an all-time low.

Faku herself has remained silent. Queries sent to her went unanswered, which has only fuelled speculation that the mayor is politically shielded rather than publicly accountable.

A Bigger Problem Than One Metro

What’s happening in Buffalo City is emblematic of a broader rot within local governance structures in South Africa: party politics taking precedence over public service. And when even the ANC’s top leadership is drawn into the fight, the people who suffer most are the ratepayers, the taxi drivers dodging potholes, and the elderly waiting for water deliveries.

Buffalo City deserves better, not just from its mayor, but from every politician who claims to serve it.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com