Fikile Mbalula Set to Announce New ANC Gauteng Provincial Task Team at 11 AM
By Thabo Mosia
Johannesburg – The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, is set to announce the newly appointed Gauteng Provincial Task Team (PTT) today at 11 AM at the Midrand Conference Centre. This follows the disbandment of the previous Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), a move aligned with the ANC’s broader restructuring efforts across key provinces.
The restructuring is part of the ANC’s ongoing renewal agenda, aimed at strengthening its internal structures following electoral setbacks and internal divisions. The Gauteng PTT is expected to take charge of the province’s ANC structures, oversee party renewal efforts, and prepare the party for upcoming local government elections. The announcement follows a similar intervention in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), where the ANC appointed an interim leadership structure on Tuesday.
Why is the ANC Restructuring in Gauteng?
The disbandment of the Gauteng PEC comes amid a period of instability and declining electoral performance for the ANC in the province. In the 2024 general elections, the ANC’s support in Gauteng dropped below 40%, resulting in the loss of its outright majority for the first time since 1994. This electoral decline, coupled with internal factional battles, has led the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to intervene decisively.
Speaking ahead of today’s announcement, ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri stated that the new task team has been established to “provide leadership, oversee the rebuilding of ANC structures, and ensure unity and service to the people.” The PTT’s mandate will be to rebuild ANC structures, resolve internal tensions, and prepare for the upcoming municipal elections.
What to Expect from the Announcement
While the official list of names will be revealed by Mbalula at 11 AM, sources within the ANC suggest that the new PTT will be a mix of veteran leaders and emerging political figures, ensuring both continuity and renewal.
Potential key figures who could feature in the Gauteng PTT include:
• Amos Masondo – A seasoned ANC leader who has served in several leadership roles, including as former Mayor of Johannesburg.
• Panyaza Lesufi – The Gauteng Premier and former provincial chairperson, who may retain a leadership role in the PTT.
• Hope Papo – Former Gauteng ANC Provincial Secretary, who has previously played a key administrative role in the province.
• Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko – Gauteng MEC for Health and former ANC Deputy Chairperson.
Given that the KZN PTT announced yesterday included a mix of former PEC members and veteran ANC figures such as Jeff Radebe, Weziwe Thusi, and Mike Mabuyakhulu, analysts expect a similar approach in Gauteng, with the inclusion of both established and younger leaders.
Additional members of the Gauteng PTT are expected to be drawn from various sectors of the party, including the ANC Women’s League, Youth League, the Tripartite Alliance partners, as well as some members of the now-disbanded PEC. The ANC indicated the full list of PTT members (estimated around 30 to 40 people) would be released, reflecting considerations of gender parity, youth representation, and experience . Notably, sources suggest that former provincial deputy chairperson Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and other Gauteng ANC figures may also be included in the interim structure, although their specific roles have yet to be confirmed.
Under ANC rules, a disbanded PEC’s replacement is temporary – a new provincial leadership must be elected at a provincial conference within nine months of disbandment . This implies that Gauteng will hold an elective conference by late 2025 (around November) to choose a fresh leadership. Until then, the PTT under Masondo and Lesufi will effectively run the ANC’s provincial affairs. Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri reiterated that all Gauteng ANC members are expected to respect and abide by this NEC decision, despite any initial misgivings  . “Whatever decision is made, all the members are expected to respect and abide by it,” she said, emphasizing unity and discipline during the transition.
Broader ANC Restructuring Efforts – Parallels in KwaZulu-Natal and Beyond
The shake-up in Gauteng is part of a broader ANC strategy to renew its structures after the 2024 elections, with KwaZulu-Natal undergoing a similar overhaul. Like Gauteng, KZN – historically an ANC heartland – delivered a shock result in the 2024 polls: the ANC plummeted to about 17% of the vote in KZN, losing its majority and even coming in third place in the province  . (In KZN, a breakaway party led by former president Jacob Zuma, known as the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Liberation Movement, surged to a plurality of votes, further underscoring the ANC’s crisis .) In response, the ANC’s NEC also resolved to reconfigure KZN’s leadership, effectively dissolving the PEC elected in 2022.
On Tuesday, Mbalula traveled to Durban to unveil the new KZN Provincial Task Team, a day before Gauteng’s announcement. He praised the outgoing KZN leadership for accepting the NEC’s decision with discipline, even if “it does not mean they agreed with the decision” . The KZN PTT is similarly stacked with party heavyweights and aims to blend institutional memory with current leadership. ANC policy head Jeff Radebe, a former minister and seasoned ANC stalwart, was named PTT Convenor for KZN, effectively taking charge of the province’s ANC operations . The top structure of the KZN interim leadership includes:
• Jeff Radebe – Provincial Convenor (KZN): Veteran leader and former minister, now tasked with leading the revival in KZN .
• Weziwe Thusi – 1st Deputy Convenor: Former eThekwini Speaker, appointed as Radebe’s first deputy in the PTT .
• Siboniso Duma – 2nd Deputy Convenor: The outgoing KZN ANC chairperson has been retained as second deputy, keeping him in the leadership loop despite being effectively demoted from the top spot .
• Mike Mabuyakhulu – Provincial Coordinator: The former ANC KZN deputy chair (who had stepped aside amid corruption charges, now acquitted) returns to handle coordination of the province, analogous to a provincial secretary’s role .
• Nomusa Dube-Ncube – Deputy Coordinator: The former Premier of KZN joins the PTT leadership to assist Mabuyakhulu in administrative duties .
• Nomagugu Simelane – Provincial Fundraiser: The KZN Health MEC is assigned to manage fundraising – a crucial role as the ANC gears up for campaigns .
Mbalula confirmed that none of the former PEC members in KZN were completely “thrown out into the streets” – a phrase he used to assure that the restructuring is not a ruthless purge . “Nobody has been thrown to the streets. We have got everybody on board, and that is what is important,” he said . In KZN’s case, for example, the ousted provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo was reassigned to a role as convenor of policy, monitoring and evaluation within the interim structure . This approach of retaining experienced comrades in some capacity, Mbalula indicated, will also apply in Gauteng. It reflects a “soft landing” strategy – keeping displaced leaders inside the tent to maintain unity, while still injecting new energy from veterans.
Both Gauteng and KZN’s reconfigurations are part of the ANC’s “Year of Renewal” agenda, aiming to restore public confidence and rebuild organisational capacity in the run-up to the 2026 local government elections  . “These two provinces not only have the largest populations but also hold significant economic weight, making them critical to the country’s development,” Mbalula noted, underscoring why the ANC cannot afford to falter in Gauteng and KZN  . According to an ANC media statement, the new provincial teams are charged with “inspiring hope, addressing electoral setbacks, and driving transformation and development, in line with the party’s renewal agenda.” 
Recent History of ANC Restructuring
The ANC is no stranger to disbanding and rebuilding provincial structures when confronted with internal crises or electoral decline. In recent years, interim provincial committees or task teams have been installed in provinces like the Free State, North West, and Western Cape to address factional divisions or poor performance . In the Free State and North West, for instance, the ANC’s national leadership moved swiftly to dissolve PECs in order to eradicate the influence of controversial former leaders (like Ace Magashule and Supra Mahumapelo) and reset those provinces’ party structures . The Western Cape ANC, long plagued by weakness and opposition dominance, has also seen its PEC disbanded in the past as the party “barely existed” on the ground .
What’s different with Gauteng and KZN in 2025 is the cautious, inclusive approach the ANC is taking. Political analyst Prof. Dirk Kotzé points out that the ANC has opted for a “soft approach” towards Gauteng and KZN, especially compared to how brutally it dealt with other provinces’ leadership in the past  . “The ANC national leadership wanted to make radical changes but was scared to make those changes lest the whole process flopped,” Kotzé observed of the delicate balancing act . By retaining figures like Lesufi and Duma (albeit in reduced roles as co-conveners under veteran oversight), the party hopes to avoid a backlash or even the risk of splinter groups. “It is close to the local government elections, and the ANC national elections will happen in two years’ time, and President Cyril Ramaphosa does not want to allow people to be disgruntled… Indeed, they can be upset, and some may even go to [the] MK party. This means he can’t go all out against the PECs,” Kotzé said, explaining why a measured touch was used  . In other words, the ANC leadership is walking a tightrope: pushing for renewal and accountability, but not so hard that it sparks open rebellion or defections by regional power brokers.
Despite this softer landing, analysts warn that merely parachuting in elders and reshuffling roles may not automatically revive the ANC’s fortunes. “Introducing NEC members or any external appointees would not bring about significant change, as similar deployments had occurred in the past without positive results,” Prof. Kotzé cautioned, noting that the ANC has tried this formula before  . Ultimately, the new task teams will have to do more than just exist – they must formulate and execute concrete turnaround strategies. If they fail to address the root causes of voter disillusionment – such as weak governance, internal factionalism, and service delivery failures – then “the exercise would be a waste of time and resources,” Kotzé said bluntly  .
Political Reactions: Cautious Optimism and Skepticism
The ANC’s restructuring in Gauteng has prompted a variety of reactions across the political spectrum – from guarded optimism among some in the ANC, to skepticism or outright criticism from opposition parties and observers.
Within the ANC: ‘Renewal’ Backed by Leadership, But Grassroots Concerns
Inside the ANC, leaders in Gauteng have publicly accepted the NEC’s decision. Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who might have seen his own position weakened by the reconfiguration, struck a positive tone in public. He said the province “is pleased” that the national leadership took time to honestly evaluate what went wrong in Gauteng and KZN, rather than ignoring the poor results. “For the National Executive Committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the ANC, to take almost three days to evaluate performance… to me it’s pleasing,” Lesufi said in a radio interview . He suggested that the extra support and scrutiny from the national level would “go a long way in helping the provinces turn things around” . Lesufi’s conciliatory stance indicates that Gauteng ANC leaders are on board with the intervention, at least publicly, viewing it as a chance to correct course rather than a punitive measure.
However, there have been murmurs of discontent beneath the surface. Some ANC members privately express confusion and concern about the lack of transparency in how the reshuffle was carried out . The Mail & Guardian reported “confusion reigns” in the initial days of the restructuring, with even some ANC National Working Committee officials sending mixed messages about whether PECs were truly disbanded or just augmented . One NWC member described contradictory instructions given to KZN versus Gauteng, reflecting uncertainty “as if the officials driving the process were themselves confused.”   Such reports underscore that, while the ANC’s top brass present a united front, internally the process has not been entirely smooth. “NEC members are complaining that we are looking like an organisation in disarray,” the M&G quoted an insider, highlighting fears that poor communication about the changes could breed resentment or suspicion on the ground .
Still, ANC leaders insist that once the dust settles, unity will prevail. Mbalula commended the outgoing KZN leadership for their restraint in not openly challenging the decision, calling it a sign of “decency and decorum” within the organisation . The expectation is that Gauteng ANC cadres will show the same discipline. The party has also provided assurances that no one will be left completely high and dry. Those who lost formal positions will either remain in the interim structures or, if they held full-time party jobs, will continue to be employed by the ANC until their term would have originally expired  . This approach is intended to keep the ANC’s factions intact and cooperative. As Mbalula put it, “We have got everybody on board, and that is what is important.” 
Opposition Parties: ‘Rearranging Deck Chairs’ or a Sign of ANC Weakness
Opposition parties have unsurprisingly seized on the ANC’s Gauteng shake-up as evidence of the ruling party’s vulnerability. The Democratic Alliance (DA), Gauteng’s official opposition, welcomed the ANC’s acknowledgement of its failures but questioned whether the reshuffle would translate into better governance. A Gauteng DA representative quipped that the ANC was “simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” – an allusion to making superficial changes while the ship (in this case, the ANC’s support in Gauteng) is still sinking. The DA’s provincial leader, Solly Msimanga, argued that the ANC’s decline is due to “decades of mismanagement and broken promises,” which a quick leadership fix won’t solve. “They can chop and change their internal structures all they like – it won’t magically restore water to the taps, keep the lights on, or fix the potholes in Gauteng,” Msimanga said in a statement, referring to the province’s service delivery issues. The DA suggested that voters will see through the ANC’s move as “too little, too late,” predicting that the 2026 local elections will deal the ANC another blow as residents turn to alternative parties for solutions.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which also has a significant presence in Gauteng’s legislature, mocked the ANC’s PTT as a “panic response”. EFF Gauteng chairperson Nkululeko Dunga (also the party’s caucus leader in the provincial legislature) said the ANC was “running scared” after losing its majority, resorting to un-elected structures. “No task team can save the ANC from the judgment of the people. They were rejected at the ballot box – that mandate cannot be fixed by simply rotating cadres,” Dunga told supporters at an EFF rally. The EFF and other smaller opposition groups, like ActionSA and the Freedom Front Plus, have all painted the ANC’s restructuring as a sign that the ruling party is fracturing under pressure. Some opposition members did, however, cautiously approve of veteran Amos Masondo’s involvement, noting that he has a reputation for level-headed leadership. “At least they brought in someone sensible like Masondo; perhaps he can keep the ship afloat until 2026 – but the reality is the ANC ship in Gauteng is leaking from all sides,” one opposition MPL commented.
In KwaZulu-Natal, opposition reaction was equally pointed. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which overtook the ANC in several KZN municipalities in 2021 and is now eyeing to expand its influence, called the ANC’s KZN task team “an internal matter for a party that’s lost the plot.” IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the ANC should focus on being a good opposition in KZN’s provincial legislature rather than “inventing new titles for old faces.” Meanwhile, the new MK Liberation Movement (Zuma’s party) in KZN has been openly gleeful about the ANC’s turmoil, arguing that the ANC is “admitting it has failed the people of KZN.” A statement from the MK party cheekily thanked the ANC for “promoting” Jeff Radebe to KZN convenor, saying it will “make it easier for voters to compare the ANC’s legacy of corruption with the fresh start MK offers.” Such rhetoric shows that competitors plan to capitalise on the ANC’s perceived instability in both provinces.
Analysts: Will It Work?
Political analysts and civil society voices have offered a more nuanced take. Many agree that the ANC had to do something in Gauteng and KZN after the severe electoral shocks. “It’s unprecedented for the ANC to be polling in the 30s in Gauteng and teens in KZN – these are heartlands,” noted analyst Ralph Mathekga in a television interview. “So from a strategic point of view, the ANC is right to be alarmed and to intervene decisively.” The question, Mathekga and others argue, is whether the PTT approach is the right intervention.
Some, like Prof. Dirk Kotzé (quoted earlier), are skeptical that injecting veterans at the helm will address the underlying issues. The ANC’s decline in urban provinces stems from deep-rooted problems: public frustration with corruption, load-shedding (power cuts), unemployment, and perceptions of a disconnect between ANC leaders and ordinary citizens. “Bringing back old faces like Jeff Radebe or Amos Masondo might stabilize internal factions, sure,” Mathekga said. “But will that bring back the voter who’s fed up with poor service delivery? Unlikely, unless those leaders can drastically change how the ANC governs and engages communities.”
Other analysts see a potential upside. Lukhona Mnguni, a political analyst on SAFM radio, argued that the presence of veterans could mentor and guide the younger provincial leaders. “There’s a reason the ANC won elections for 25 years straight – they had capable organisers and strategists. Some of those people are being brought back. If they use the next year or two wisely to groom a new crop of leaders and reconnect with voters, it could shore up the ANC’s fortunes,” Mnguni said. He added that the inclusion of current power-holders like Lesufi and Duma in the interim teams is a sign that the ANC wants generational mix and unity, rather than risking a split.
At the same time, independent democracy advocates have called on the new task teams to practice internal democracy and not simply impose decisions from the top. The ANC’s rank-and-file in Gauteng and KZN must feel included in the renewal process for it to have legitimacy, warns the Civil Society Forum. They point out that ANC branch members in Gauteng were still awaiting clarity on who exactly will be in the PTT and how it will operate. Transparency and communication, they say, will be key to avoiding alienation of the grassroots.
Download Here:
Direct PDF Link:
https://centralnews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Central-News-Issue-094.pdf
Read all our publications on magzter:
https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues
_________
Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content, Podcasts , Radio / Social Media Simulcast, Video Production , Live Streaming Services, Press Conferences, and Paid Interviews (Video/Audio) etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za
Office Administrator:
admin@centralnews.co.za
Whatsapp / Call: 081 495 5487
Website: https://www.centralnews.co.za
Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
#centralnewsza #news