Legal battle looms as Dlamini-Zuma refuses to retract Mbalula ANC conference bribery claims
ANC NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is facing a defamation lawsuit from secretary-general Fikile Mbalula after refusing to retract claims that he used money to influence the 2022 ANC elective conference. Dlamini-Zuma maintains that the commercialization of leadership contests is a known issue within the party.
Why it matters
The legal battle highlights ongoing internal tensions and allegations of corruption within South Africa's ruling party, the ANC.
ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says she stands by her utterances regarding the improper use of money at the 2022 ANC elective conference.
Dlamini-Zuma revealed in a statement that she had filed a notice of intention to oppose ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s lawsuit against her over the comments she made on a podcast.
Speaking with host Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on the African Renaissance podcast recently, Dlamini-Zuma alleged that money played an improper role in ANC leadership contests, specifically accusing Mbalula of openly “dishing out money” at a clinic during the party’s 55th national conference at Nasrec in December 2022 to secure his election and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s re-election.
Mbalula strongly denied the allegations, calling them damaging and false. He subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against Dlamini-Zuma in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg after she failed to retract the claims.
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