By Lerato Mutlanyane
Hailing from Bloemfontein, the City of Roses, Palesa “Lisa S” Sentso is stepping into her own spotlight — and bringing a sound that refuses to be boxed in. First known as part of the duo Harmonic Squared, which made waves on the Bloem music scene in 2018, Lisa S has since evol...
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has raised alarm over the party’s declining support in the Free State, Northern Cape and North West, conceding that internal weaknesses, poor governance and voter dissatisfaction have eroded the movement’s traditional strongholds ahead of critical political contests.
Delivering his midterm report on the health of the party across all nine provinces at the National General Council (NGC) in Boksburg on Monday, Mbalula stressed that urgent renewal, discipline and visible service delivery were needed to rebuild trust and avert further electoral losses.
He said the Free State faces serious organisational challenges, including weakened branches, declining community confidence and distressed municipalities.
“Although the ANC attained a provincial majority in the 2024 elections, support has steadily declined since 2019, signalling reduced hegemony and an urgent need for visible governance,” he said.
Mbalula noted that branch functionality remains weak, with only two of the 319 branches, representing 34 200 members, currently within mandate. He cited membership system challenges, gatekeeping, bulk-buying abuse and weak induction processes as factors undermining cadre development and recruitment quality.
“Municipal oversight has improved through standardised reporting tools, strengthened troikas, manifesto monitoring and early-warning interventions for service delivery failure,” he added, saying the Free State is rebuilding capacity and capability with the support of the ANC’s National Executive Committee.
Turning to the North West, Mbalula said the province remains under pressure due to organisational strain, declining voter confidence and persistent problems in local government.
“This province was one of our surprises in the last elections; they performed very, very well. That election reflected vulnerability, but it also reflected the resilience of this province,” he said, adding that both regional and provincial structures remain functional.
“Bojanala is the strongest region, with high mobilisation levels and strong political education.”
However, Mbalula said the ANC in the Northern Cape remains strong and united.
“The ANC in this province has won even wards that previously belonged to the DA. Of the province’s 232 branches, 218 — or 94% — are in good standing, reflecting high levels of organisational stability. Membership stands at 54,767,” he said.
The MK Party on Tuesday celebrated the swearing-in of Brumelda Zuma, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, as she joins the party's caucus in Parliament.
The move has sparked discussions about the party's image as a family business, yet party leaders insist that Brumelda's credentials and activist background stand on their own.
Chief whip Colleen Makhubele defended the appointment, emphasising Brumelda's qualifications and her commitment to the party’s vision and political mandate.
“Yes, Brumelda is President Zuma's daughter. She has got a degree in public administration and is an activist in her own right and she has been doing a lot of work since the inception of our MK Party to be what it is today," Makhubele said.
“I think in her own right, she has made a mark, and her path in politics is here to unfold, and we trust that she will add a lot of value to the caucus, especially in our committee of public service administration. That is where her strength lies,” Makhubele added.
Brumelda, alongside fellow newly sworn-in MPs — former deputy minister Bongani Mkongi, former Lekwa municipality Speaker Makhosazana Radebe, and Pumlani Kubukeli of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association — took the oath of office in a ceremony officiated by National Assembly deputy Speaker Annelie Lotriet.
The quartet fills positions left vacant by recent resignations, including that of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who stepped down amid alleged involvement in enlistment of 17 men in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Brumelda expressed delight at being sworn in as an MP.
“Ours is to execute the people’s mandate and ensure that the people of South Africa have access to public services. What I studied for is aligned to that,” she said in a brief interview posted by the party on social media.
Her profile shared by the MK Party highlights her educational background in public administration and a history of engagement in student politics, reflecting a deep commitment to serving the public. “She values a deep understanding of government and legislative systems as key to delivering people-centered services,” the profile states.
Mkongi, who resigned from the ANC to join the MK Party, expressed that he believes the former liberation movement has lost its relevance.
“It is not a viable vehicle today to be a leader of society. The mistake that the ANC has committed is a political blunder to the people in general, therefore, the birth of uMkhonto weSizwe to replace the ANC and make sure that we are taking our people to a total liberation,” he said.
Mkongi said his focus on his return to Parliament was on changing the fundamentals of the lives of the people.
“My contribution is to make sure that Mkhonto weSizwe makes its mark in the delivery of service for our people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Makhubele would not be drawn to comment on the complaint she reportedly lodged against suspended parliamentary leader John Hlophe.
“We don't talk about our party processes outside of the party structures, and those issues are dealt with by national officials, so I cannot comment on any of those issues that you have placed,” she said.
Makhubele also said they were at the happy occasion to welcome their new members.
“The focus should be on how we make sure that they are integrated,” she said.
The 43-year-old Zimbabwean national arrested after police found 582 passports and more than R147,000 in cash hidden in a bakkie has appeared before a court in Mpumalanga, where he was remanded in custody.
Provincial police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Nonyane-Mpe said Edward Chitaizvi briefly appeared before the Waterval Boven Periodical Court, where he was remanded behind bars while authorities continue with verification processes linked to the investigation.
"The accused, Mr Edward Chitaizvi is remanded in custody for verification of the address. He will appear at Belfast Magistrate's Court on Monday,15 December 2025," she said in an update.
Recent cases have highlighted how corrupt border officials have been accused of charging foreign nationals to stamp their passports. Last year, IOL reported that an immigration officer in Mpumalanga appeared in court after allegedly stamping a Tanzanian national’s expired passport in exchange for a R1,000 bribe.
On Wednesday, Nonyane-Mpe, said a multi-disciplinary team — comprising the Middelburg Flying Squad, Nkangala District Anti-Hijacking Team and Waterval Boven SAPS — intercepted a white Chevrolet Utility with Gauteng registration plates on Monday, at about 1 pm, after acting on information received.
During a search of the vehicle, officers uncovered hundreds of passports — some containing cash — hidden in a concealed compartment. They also found about R20,000 wrapped in a black plastic bag, bringing the total seized cash to roughly R147,300.
“Investigation thus far suggests that the driver was probably going to meet someone the next day to have the passports stamped. Police are of the view that the recovered cash was meant for payment,” said Nonyane-Mpe.
The bakkie was confiscated for further investigation.
Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the arrest and warned that additional arrests may follow.
“We are following up this matter and will not leave any stone unturned. At this stage, the possibility of more arrests cannot be ruled out. We will ensure that those who are involved are brought to book,” he said.
Last year, IOL reported that an operation conducted by the Border Management Authority (BMA) led to the arrest of a man who was carrying 34 passports and a significant amount of money in cash.
BMA spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi said border guards discovered the passports during a routine inspection. “Of these 34, 32 belonged to Mozambican nationals, and two were identified as belonging to Angolan nationals,” she said.
A case of possession of suspected stolen property was opened, and investigations into the origins of those passports are ongoing.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected to address the media on Thursday following the identification of an examination breach during the marking process for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate examinations.
The matric exam marking process is currently underway in provinces across the country.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) said in a short statement on Wednesday that the breach was detected through the department's internal monitoring and oversight systems.
“Minister Gwarube will outline the immediate interventions and the measures being implemented to safeguard the integrity and credibility of the 2025 NSC examination results,” the DBE said.
Teachers' union Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU) or the South African Teachers' Union recently raised concerns about incidents affecting matric exam integrity including an incident in KwaZulu-Natal where a teacher allegedly supplied answers to 52 candidates in advance.
The union has also raised concern about the welfare of pupils during exams.
In an opinion piece, Adel Jacobs, head of department for SAOU Professional Services said while the Department of Basic Education said the exams were largely disruption-free, there were incidents that were concerning.
The union suggested reforms to deal with the issues it had outlined.
The matric results are expected to be released in the second week of January 2026.
The ANC is not in crisis and will bounce back stronger in the 2026 local government elections, aiming to secure more than 50% of the vote, this is according to the party’s secretary general Fikile Mbalula
“The ANC will come back, and the ANC can get 50%. Leave that to what we are going to do for the campaign and winning back support. We know that we need to win big in Gauteng,” he said.
“We need to win big in KwaZulu-Natal, no doubt about it. We can have an in-depth discussion about the strategy of coming back and winning above 50% in the next election.”
His comments come as the 2026 elections approach and the party attempts to renew its image and regain public trust after years of corruption scandals, governance failures and deteriorating service delivery in ANC-led municipalities.
The ANC performed poorly in the May 2024 general elections, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994.
This led to the formation of the government of national unity with former rivals the DA and Freedom Front Plus.
Mbalula said the party is committed to rebuilding.
“What we are doing in this National General Council and beyond will account for the kind of work we are going to do. That includes the conduct of ANC structures and the work we are doing on the ground,” he said.
“We will not get above 50% if our preoccupation is fighting over scrambles.”
He added that the organisation was tightening discipline.
“There are characters who are ill-disciplined, but there are not many, as you can see now. They are disappearing because of the interventions that have been made,” he said on Wednesday at the ANC’s National General Council (NGC) meeting at the Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni.
The NGC is reviewing the organisation’s performance.
However, political analyst Solly Rashilo argued the ANC is “definitely in a crisis”.
“The ANC is currently in a state of profound, multi-layered crisis, confirmed by both internal reports and external analysis,” he told IOL News.
“The crisis is driven by organisational decay, rampant factionalism, an unresolved integrity crisis due to corruption scandals, and a consistent electoral decline.”
Rashilo said the 2026 local elections would be a crucial test.
Speaking with IOL News on the sidelines of the NGC, the party’s second deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa, also dismissed claims of a crisis.
“The organisation cannot be in crisis because what makes the organisation are the branches of the ANC. We have constantly been dealing with organising itself, looking at branch functionality,” she said.
She pointed to the party’s branch functionality document, saying it helps ensure branches are active and rooted in communities, not just present for conferences.
Ramokgopa acknowledged ongoing financial difficulties, including unpaid staff, but said the party was working to improve its resources.
“We won’t be able to run an organisation if we are not resourced enough and if the people who are supposed to be serving us are not paid,” she said.
On Monday, unpaid ANC staff, represented by Nehawu, protested outside the venue. The ANC said discussions with the union were ongoing.
Meanwhile, Rashilo warned that the SACP’s decision to contest the 2026 local elections independently could further weaken the ANC.
“The party faces a highly challenging environment, with a fractured tripartite alliance and significant threats from new rivals like the MK party,” he said.
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila has strongly criticised the formation of the GNU, arguing that the inclusion of the DA does not represent the interests of black people and workers.
The SACP says it will contest elections independently but will not withdraw from the tripartite alliance.
Rashilo said the ANC’s long-term future depends on its ability to execute its “renew or perish” agenda.
“The most probable path is one of managed decline, where the party remains the largest but continues to slowly lose support, ruling through increasingly fragile coalitions. Fragmentation into multiple, competing factions remains a serious risk,” he said.
