Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has launched a scathing critique of the African National Congress (ANC), warning the governing party against aligning itself with criminal elements and betraying its founding values. Writing on X, Ndlozi reflected on the ANC’s historic leadership, which he said was anchored in integrity and moral uprightness. He cited prominent figures such as John Dube, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Charlotte Maxeke, and Nelson Mandela as examples of leaders who upheld honesty, truth, and a deep commitment to justice.
“At its best, the ANC represented a value system that first and foremost was about an honest, morally upright and truthful political cause,” Ndlozi wrote. “That is why most of its leadership included the clergy, traditional leadership and scholars.” Contrasting the past with what he described as the party’s present-day decline, Ndlozi condemned the infiltration of criminals and opportunists into the ANC’s ranks. He emphasized that in earlier times, “criminals, vagabonds, lumpen proletariat, pickpockets, and vandals could never find space amongst these upright men and women.”
Without naming individuals, Ndlozi accused current leaders of betraying the revolutionary cause by tolerating or even aligning with those linked to crime and corruption. He added that “the revolution cannot report to murderers, vagabonds, gangsters, and vandals,” calling on honest members to admit mistakes and recommit to the moral foundation the ANC once embodied.
“You can’t sell us out to criminal cartels! No! I can’t stomach this! Ngxa!” he declared. Ndlozi’s intervention comes as the ANC faces intensifying criticism over allegations of corruption, factional battles, and the erosion of public trust. His remarks echo broader concerns that the party, once revered for its role in the liberation struggle, risks losing credibility unless it restores its integrity and distance from criminal networks.