African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Chairperson and Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul has come out guns blazing, describing the resignation of a member of his provincial cabinet as a "political mishap" that threatened to derail the organisation's work.

Saul's remarks follow the recent resignation of MEC for Roads and Public Works Fufe Makatong, just eight months after former Health MEC Maruping Lekwene stepped down from the provincial executive.

In a letter seen by Journal News, Saul issued a formal apology to ANC structures, acknowledging that the handling of Makatong's resignation had created unnecessary political distractions during the party's voter registration weekend.

He described the resignation as a political mishap that risked diverting the ANC's focus from its organisational priorities and admitted that the matter should have been managed more carefully.

"I wish to extend a sincere and formal apology, on behalf of the entire PEC, for the political mishap that occurred over the weekend. This unfortunate incident threatened to derail our collective focus from our principal historic task: to defend and advance our glorious movement. As the leadership, we accept collective accountability for this matter and acknowledge that it ought to have been handled with greater care and revolutionary discipline," Saul wrote in the letter dated 3 August 2026.

The letter was addressed to ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) members, Regional Executive Committees (RECs), Branch Executive Committees (BECs), as well as party members and volunteers.

Saul also sought to reassure party structures that there was no leadership crisis within the ANC in the province, despite Makatong's departure from the Executive Council. He noted that Makatong remains a member of the ANC's Provincial Executive Committee Top Five, serving as the party's Provincial Treasurer.

“I want to state categorically and directly to you, as your provincial chairperson; there is no crisis. The PEC remains rock-solid, structurally sound and entirely focused on our dual mandate to fix local municipalities and secure an overwhelming and decisive victory at the polls,” said Saul in the letter.

He said that the party’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) will convene this week and address the matter comprehensively.

“The collective leadership will thoroughly reflect on these developments and issue a coherent and unified directive to all our structures, members and supporters,” promised Saul.