Tony Yengeni criticises Fikile Mbalula's public remarks, emphasising the importance of preserving comradeship and discipline.
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African Nation Congress (ANC) veteran Tony Yengeni has expressed shock and disappointment at public comments made by the party’s secretary general, Fikile Mbalula, who called him a “political Casanova” and threatened disciplinary action against him.
In a recent SMWX interview with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, Yengeni described the remarks as shocking and unfortunate, emphasising the need for respect and unity within the ANC.
This comes after Yengeni made utterances against the organisation. Speaking in Cape Town ahead of the ANC's 113th anniversary celebration, Mbalula said Yengeni thought he was a law unto himself and also said he would initiate a disciplinary hearing against him for his social media posts.
IOL reported that in a post on X (formerly twitter), Mbalula said all members of the ANC, irrespective of their rank, position, or station in life, who conducted themselves in an undisciplined manner would be subjected to the formal disciplinary processes of the organisation.
He said that they would be required to explain their conduct, ultimately helping to instill discipline within the movement.
He added that Yengeni was nothing more than "a political Casanova and is spewing vagrant political views and views that are embraced by a few malcontents who are opposed to the ANC".
"He will be charged. I have informed him through an SMS. I have called him. We will charge him. We'll bring him before the disciplinary processes of the ANC so that he explains himself in terms of his membership with the ANC," Mbalula said at the time.
Yengeni expressed disappointment, stating, “It might sound strange, but he is a friend of mine. I consider Mbalula as a brother, I consider him as a comrade. We have come a long way. But he has done that before, it is not the first time he has called me names in public, but I have never done it myself in response.”
"I've told him, 'Mbaks, we can disagree on many political matters, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, and that's okay. But we must preserve our comradeship, friendship, and brotherhood despite these political differences," Yengeni said.
He criticised Mbalula’s approach, highlighting that leadership should not involve “slander, vitriol, or insults”.
“I’m not Mbalula’s age group, I am far, far older than Mbalula and I respect him for his leadership in the ANC as the SG,” he said.
Yengeni said the reason he will not resort to Mbalula’s level of insults and manner of addressing things is that they were not cut from the same cloth.
Reflecting on generational and organisational differences, Yengeni noted, “Mbalula comes from a different generation than my generation. My generation is a generation from 1976. We joined uMkhonto weSizwe (Military veteran), the People’s Army, and before we were deployed, we had to be trained to specialise in that capacity, unlike today, you become a member of the ANC, then tomorrow you are a [member of Parliament] MP, and a councillor.”
He contrasted this with what he sees as a decline in values within the ANC and other political organisations, pointing to the role of social media in fuelling public insults and divisiveness.
Yengeni also criticised the ANC’s handling of internal disagreements, saying, “It’s unfortunate that you can be called names in public and be told you’re going to be dragged before the National Disciplinary Committee without anybody talking to you about it.”
Moreover, he argued that such actions erode the party’s credibility, particularly in light of its declining electoral performance in 2024.
In a broader context, Yengeni connected these issues to a global moral decline, citing the international community's inaction in crises like Palestine and Ukraine. He concluded with a call for humility and discipline within the ANC’s leadership, warning that without these qualities, the party risks further decline.
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