The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is facing serious challenges as it prepares for its regional conferences. The problem comes from members of Jacob Zuma’s MK Party who are also keeping ANC membership, creating confusion inside the organisation.
Reports show that some people are attending ANC meetings while still openly working for Zuma’s MK Party. This has made it very difficult for ANC branches to check who is truly loyal, slowing down preparations for the conferences.
ANC leaders in the province admit that the situation is affecting the work of branches. They say it has become hard to draw a clear line between ANC members and those who are secretly pushing the MK Party agenda. This has raised concerns about the fairness of the conferences and whether the right representatives will be chosen.
The ANC rules do not allow members to belong to other political parties. But in KwaZulu-Natal, where Zuma has strong support, it has been difficult to apply these rules. In some branches, members have even refused to act against suspected MK Party supporters, saying this could divide the party more and push even more people away.
This comes at a very sensitive time for the ANC. The party is trying to rebuild itself after losing ground in the national election. The regional conferences are meant to bring unity and choose new leaders, but now they risk being overshadowed by disputes and mistrust.
Some political experts believe that the MK Party is doing this on purpose. They say keeping members inside ANC branches helps MKP to gather information, confuse processes, and weaken the ANC’s structures. This kind of strategy, they explain, is meant to slowly break down the ANC from within.
The ANC’s top leadership in Johannesburg is aware of the issue. Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula is expected to give new instructions on how to handle these cases of dual membership. But others inside the party warn that taking harsh action could cause anger in areas where Zuma is very popular, making the situation worse.
On the other side, MK Party members seem to be encouraged by the confusion. In some community meetings, they have spoken proudly about how they can outsmart the ANC while still keeping influence in its branches.
As the date for the conferences draws closer, the ANC is left with a very difficult task. It must try to keep the organisation united while also applying its rules. If the membership problem is not solved quickly, the party could find itself losing more strength in KwaZulu-Natal, giving Zuma’s MK Party an even bigger advantage.
