Mbalula dismisses allegations of a personal vendetta against Lesufi

JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has dismissed allegations of a personal vendetta against the party's Gauteng chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi.

This follows the organisation's top leadership summoning Lesufi to Luthuli House on Monday, to discuss his public remarks regarding the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Eyewitness News understands Mbalula's attempts to charge Lesufi for bringing the party into disrepute were rejected by the ANC's top brass.

During a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Mbalula denied any intention to curb Lesufi's authority.

It is understood  Mbalula is of the belief that Lesufi has been undermining the spirit of the GNU.

But Mbalula says the party’s top brass merely wanted to understand Lesufi’s public utterances, which are supposedly at odds with the national leadership's position.

"Comrade Panyaza presented himself to the national officials of the ANC and provided an explanation that was accepted by the officials. It is consistent with the organisational culture of the ANC to require us to give comrades a hearing when there’s reasonable apprehension that their conduct may bring the ANC into disrepute."

Mbalula dismissed suggestions that Lesufi was summoned to the ANC's headquarters for disciplinary reasons regarding his comments on the GNU.

He said claims of trying to rein in the provincial chairperson were misleading.