Media Statements

The African National Congress convened an ordinary meeting of its National Executive Committee from 14 to 16 November 2025 at the Ekurhuleni Civic Centre. This gathering of the NEC took place during the Diabetes Awareness Month. The ANC celebrates progress made in achieving disability inclusion and further calls for more to be done in areas of education, health, transport, employment, skills training, and ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind. The NEC reiterated that in our efforts to empower persons with disabilities, we must ensure that “Nothing about them, without them” becomes a lived reality.

The NEC reflected honestly, critically and with revolutionary discipline on the state of our movement, our country and the global balance of forces confronting the National Democratic Revolution.

The NEC re-affirmed a fundamental truth of our epoch: A united, vibrant and renewal-driven ANC is good for South Africa, good for the African continent, and good for the progressive world. Our movement remains the primary custodian of the democratic transition, the spear and shield of the people, and the strategic centre of transformation.

On the Economy

The NEC welcomed the positive signs emerging in the economy, and noted the improvement in South Africa’s sovereign outlook announced by Standards and Poor, as well as the strengthening of the Rand.

These developments are a product of the sustained work of the ANC-led government to advance recovery in the wake of State Capture and the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recovery of the state-owned enterprises is a key outcome of the ANC’s Energy Action Plan and Operation Vulindlela, through which the infrastructure of our developmental state is being rebuilt brick by brick.

Ending load shedding was correctly identified as the foremost priority of the movement following the 2022 National Conference. The installation of more than sixteen gigawatts of new renewable energy generation capacity, representing investment well-above two hundred billion rand, has placed the country on a different path.

The people of South Africa, particularly the working class and the poor, are already benefiting from the restoration of commuter rail corridors that had fallen into disrepair and vandalism. Millions once againboard trains that carry them to work, to school and to economic opportunities, affirming that public transport is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.

The green shoots are evident. We see employment figures improving, borrowing costs falling, the country being removed from grey listing, and investor confidence rising. These are achievements of an ANC-led government, anchored in the struggle for economic freedom and justice.

On the Madlanga Commission and Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee

The NEC meeting deliberated on the Madlanga Commission and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee as they proceed; both established to investigate the public statements made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on 6 June 2025. The ANC will continue to reflect on these processes, but will not provide running commentary on the work of either the Commission or the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee.

The NEC re-iterated its earlier stance that the ANC fully supports the proceedings of both processes, and that the organisation will await the conclusion of these processes which will certainly help combat crime in the country. The NEC emphasised that matters related to the arrest of people must not be delayed, in order to intervene in addressing the rule of law in our country where the police and all law enforcement agencies have gathered evidence sufficient to prosecute.

The NEC resolved that government must urgently consider and process key reforms that must be implemented as the commission unfolds, which includes the demilitarising of the South African Police Service. There must equally be mandatory forensic lifestyle audits for all senior police and prosecutorial leadership, consistent with our policy.

To address the safety of whistle-blowers, the ANC calls upon government to fast-track the tabling of a dedicated Whistle-blower Protection Bill in Parliament. The ANC believes that, working together with other political parties in Parliament, and given that there is broad agreement among the majority of parties, we must fast-track the implementation of this bill to protect whistle-blowers as a key element in our crime fighting efforts.

The NEC expressed deep appreciation to our deployees serving on the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee tasked with probing these matters. Their work is central to uncovering the full extent of the attempted subversion of law enforcement agencies and safeguarding the constitutional architecture of the democratic state. The ANC also reaffirmed its full confidence in, and support for, the Special Investigating Unit, the Hawks, Crime Intelligence reforms, and the evolving Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, whose mandates form a critical part of restoring professional, ethical, and depoliticised law enforcement.

Law enforcement by these institutions must be beyond reproach, they must be above politics and their integrity in the face of all the challenges that we have must be beyond reproach. They must prosecute without fear or favour, and they must do so diligently and undermine any intention of rogue-ness in the system.We believe the Madlanga Commission will assist in accelerating government efforts to strengthen the institutions of the state. Without the Commission, we would not have learned about some of the individuals implicated in theft and extortion.

The NEC has re-affirmed its previous decisions on the importance of vetting of candidates for public office and that any ANC member credibly implicated in the testimony must be considered ineligible for the 2026 candidate lists. Whilst this might be painful from an individual point of view where verdicts may not have been tested in court, but it is essential for the credibility of the ANC and of government.

The NEC resolved that the Integrity Commission must actively track the Madlanga and Ad-hoc Committee testimonies and make recommendations in line with its mandate and terms of reference. This must be communicated effectively to demonstrate the ANC’s commitment to the project of renewal.

On the GNU

The NEC reflected extensively on the Government of National Unity (GNU), reaffirming that it remains a necessary instrument for safeguarding South Africa’s constitutional order, ensuring political stability, and preventing those with anti-democratic impulses from derailing the democratic project. However, the NEC was equally clear that stability must never come at the expense of transformation. The GNU is not a marketplace where the rights, dignity and aspirations of the majority can be traded, diluted or negotiated away. It is a contested site of struggle in which the strategic leadership of the ANC is critical.

As part of resetting the GNU, the ANC will continuously assess the commitment of all parties to the Statement of Intent as a reflection of commitments made by participating parties to making the Government of National Unity a success in the interest of the people of South Africa.

On the National Dialogue

The NEC reaffirmed that the National Dialogue is one of the most important democratic instruments of our time; an instrument designed to reconnect political leadership with the real, daily experiences of communities. In an era where trust in institutions is fragile across the world, the Dialogue stands as South Africa’s collective commitment to rebuild that trust from the ground up. It is a conscious return to the Freedom Charter principle that the people shall govern, not through periodic elections alone, but through ongoing, structured engagement that shapes policy, governance priorities and social compacts.

The National Dialogue is therefore not an elite gathering, a boardroom negotiation, or a media spectacle.

It is a platform rooted in lived reality; in the stokvel, in the union meeting, the taxi rank, the spaza shop, the church, the classroom and the community hall. It brings into one arena the voices of workers, civic formations, traditional leaders, small businesses, progressive faith communities, young people, women, people with disabilities, and all those who have historically been spoken about rather than spoken with.

Through ward-based dialogues, izimbizo and structured community assemblies, the ANC will mobilise itsbranches, leagues and alliance partners to ensure that the Dialogue becomes the heartbeat of a new era of citizen participation, real, ongoing and measurable.

Central to this renewed approach is the role of young people. The NEC emphasised that young people must not be engaged as a demographic category or a political audience, but as equal architects of the next phase of freedom.

On the G20

The NEC welcomed the growing stature of South Africa on the global arena, reflected most powerfully in our country’s preparations to host the G20 Summit. This honour is not accidental. It arises from decades of principled diplomacy, a stable democratic order, and the proven capability of a nation that has successfully hosted global events; from the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Netball World Cup, BRICS Summits and major UN gatherings. Each of these moments has re-affirmed that South Africa is not only a destination for world leaders, but also a trusted convener of global consensus.

Hosting the G20 carries substantial economic benefits for our country and the continent. In the immediate term, it will stimulate tourism, hospitality, aviation and business services, generating thousands of jobs and injecting millions of rand into the local economy. Infrastructure upgrades, city revitalisation, and improvements in transport logistics; driven by the demands of the summit; will remain long after the delegates have departed.

More importantly, the long-term advantages are even greater. As chair and host of the G20, South Africa will shape global economic discussions on investment flows, industrialisation, climate change, debt relief and trade reforms in ways that directly benefit the African continent. This is an opportunity to advance an African growth agenda; to push for fairer global financial governance, to expand market access for African goods, to strengthen continental manufacturing value chains, and to secure greater development finance for energy, transport, water, and digital infrastructure.

Our Presidency of the G20 is a significant moment to bridge the developmental divide between the Global North and the Global South, to champion equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity. In this G20 moment, South Africa carries not only its national mandate but the hopes of a continent that seeks a more just and balanced global order. Hosting the G20 is therefore both an honour and a strategic opportunity;

to elevate Africa’s priorities, deepen South-South cooperation, and demonstrate once again that Africa is not merely participating in global affairs; it is shaping them.

On the Integrity Committee

The NEC reiterated, with absolute clarity, that the Integrity Commission remains central to restoring and safeguarding public confidence in the African National Congress. As a movement that draws its legitimacy from the trust of the people, we recognise that ethical leadership is not optional; it is foundational to who we are and what we represent.

To deepen this commitment, a joint workshop between the NEC and the Integrity Commission will be

convened. Its purpose is to strengthen coordination and ensure that the Commission’s work is fullyintegrated into the life of the organisation. This engagement is not a procedural exercise; it is a deliberate step to embed the highest standards of accountability at every level of leadership.

On the Electoral Committee

The NEC approved the rules and guidelines for the 2026 candidate selection process and mandated the Electoral Committee to communicate these to all members and supporters of the ANC, as well as to the public. This communication took place yesterday. The NEC reviewed these rules and guidelines in its quest for the rebuilding, strengthening and renewal of the ANC

On Provincial and Regional Conferences

The NEC received a detailed organisational report on the state of readiness and progress for provincial and regional conferences. The NEC reaffirmed that all due Provincial and Regional Conferences must be concluded by March 2026. This decision is a strategic imperative to ensure that the ANC enters the 2026 Local Government Elections with constitutionally mandated leadership structures. This timeline is central to the renewal agenda, allowing the movement to shift its full organisational strength towards building a disciplined and election-ready machinery.

In Limpopo and Mpumalanga, all Regional Conferences have been successfully concluded, enabling the provinces to proceed firmly towards their Provincial Conferences. Gauteng is currently convening Regional Conferences across Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Sedibeng, and the Provincial Conference will sit once these are concluded. The Eastern Cape is moving through its remaining Regional Conferences.

The North West is proceeding with BBGMs and finalising regional conference preparations, with completion also scheduled before December 2025. No province or region will be permitted to sit beyond the March 2026 deadline.

On the Limpopo Task Team Report

The NEC received the Limpopo Task Team report and noted the work of the Task Team as a useful guide in healing raptures amongst ANC members and within structures as a result of conferences. The NEC adopted recommendations of the Task Team to strengthen the conference processes and guidelines moving forward. The NEC further referred those who were involved in undermining organisational processes to be subjected to disciplinary action.

The task team has fulfilled its mandate, and we have congratulated the team led by Comrade Noxolo Kiviet. The SG has briefed the structures in Limpopo on the decisions of the National Working Committee on the matter.

We now look forward to all ANC members in Limpopo being seized with the work of renewal, building unity, and effective and efficient structures of the organisation.

On the National General Council

In the coming month, the African National Congress will convene its 5th National General Council from the 8th to the 11th of December 2025 at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, a gathering that will stand as one of the most consequential moments for our movement in the current political epoch.

It will serve as a strategic platform to rebuild trust with our people by reaffirming our historic mission; to be the most effective and reliable instrument for the transformation of society. It is at this council that the ANC must confront, with honesty and revolutionary clarity, the structural challenges facing our communities; from unemployment and crime to service delivery failures; and provide decisive interventions anchored in the Freedom Charter, the Constitution, and our modern renewal agenda.

The NEC received and endorsed the report on preparations for the National General Council, confirming that delegate allocation is based on membership in good standing as of the cut-off date of 30 September 2025. The total expectation delegation is 1 600 of which majority of them are from the branches.

More importantly, the NGC must ignite a national sense of possibility; demonstrating to South Africans that the ANC remains the leader of society, capable of renewing itself, confronting national challenges head-on, and defending the hard-won gains of our freedom.

MKLWV NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The NEC noted that the uMkhonto weSizwe Liberation War Veterans National Conference will take place January 2026 in Johannesburg.

On the ANCYL 27th National Congress

The NEC further noted that ANC Youth League will convene its National Congress in Limpopo from the 14th – 17th December 2025 in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. The Officials have been mandated by the NEC to work closely with the Youth League in preparation of this early Congress as a decision emanating from their National General Council held in September.

On the Filling of National Working Committee Vacancies

The National Executive Committee received a report on the vacancies created within the National Working Committee (NWC), a constitutional structure tasked with the day to day management and leadership of the movement between sittings of the NEC. These vacancies followed the passing of our beloved Comrade Tina Joemat-Peterson, whose life embodied tireless service to the people, and the request by Comrade Peggy Nkonyeni to be released from NWC duties due to deteriorating health. The ANC honours their contributions with deep appreciation and revolutionary respect.

The NEC accordingly filled the two vacancies in accordance with Rule 12.3 of the ANC Constitution and welcomed Comrade Thoko Didiza and Comrade Khusela Sangoni as additional members of the National Working Committee. Their proven discipline, organisational grounding and loyalty to the movement and the people of South Africa strengthen the collective capacity of our movement to provide coherent leadership in a rapidly shifting balance of forces. The ANC has full confidence in the Comrades and extend our revolutionary congratulations to Comrades Didiza and Sangoni.

In conclusion

We call on all South Africans to unite behind the shared mission of building a country grounded in equality dignity and shared prosperity. The ANC recommits itself to leading this next phase with humility, integrity and revolutionary discipline. As we approach the 114th Anniversary of the ANC and the 2026 Local Government Elections, the movement does so with renewed determination and clarity of purpose.

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