Mbalula vs Yengeni as ANC cracks whip on discipline

7 Jan 2025

A war of words is emerging between ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and fellow member Tony Yengeni, with claims of charges being laid against the latter.

Renegade ANC veteran Tony Yengeni is one of a number of party representatives secretary-general Fikile Mbalula appears to be cracking down on for ill-discipline.

Party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told journalists on Monday that Yengeni would be charged.

“I’ve informed him through an SMS. I called him. We will charge him,” he said.

Mbalula made the comments on the sidelines of a briefing about the readiness for the ANC’s 113th birthday celebrations at Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri has said the party “will formally pronounce on this in due course once charges are served” with regards to the claims that Yengeni will be charged. She would not elaborate on the charges.

It is understood, however, that they relate to a tweet posted by Yengeni on X in which he appeared to mock the size of the Khayelitsha stadium at which the ANC will host its birthday celebrations this weekend.

What is the capacity of this field..? pic.twitter.com/1bxJQ2PZzP

— Tornado..Veteran 102 (@tyengeni1954) January 6, 2025

As noted by Daily Maverick’s Stephen Grootes, the stadium’s capacity of 22,000 is far off the 100,000-capacity stadiums the party’s annual celebrations have been able to fill in the past.

Read more: Green and gold in the Mother City: ANC’s birthday rally highlights inequality and 2026 hopes

Daily Maverick tried to contact Yengeni throughout Tuesday morning to confirm whether he had received charges, but was unsuccessful.

On X the party veteran projected an unbothered image, however, posting a video of himself enjoying the summer weather at Clifton beach.

As reported by TimesLIVE in 2023, there had been a back-and-forth between Mbalula and Yengeni, with the latter saying Mbalula should keep Yengeni’s name out of his mouth.

This wasn’t the first time the two vocal members of the party have clashed. During 2024, Yengeni was the party representative for former president Jacob Zuma’s disciplinary case. As Daily Maverick’s Queenin Masuabi reported, the uMkhonto Wesizwe party (MK) party raised alarm bells over alleged threatening messages that Mbalula had sent to Yengeni.

Read more: Mbalula accuses Yengeni of trying to destroy ANC in cryptic messages before Zuma’s hearing

This is also not the first time this week that discipline has come across Mbalula’s desk. As TimesLIVE reported, senior Gauteng leader Lebogang Maile is in Mbalula’s crosshairs over his posts on X about the ANC.

Mbalula claimed those individuals who posted online and bring the party into disrepute would be “brought to book”.

A reminder – who is Tony Yengeni?

Yengeni was sentenced to four years in prison in 2003 for fraud. This was related to the Arms Deal. As Daily Maverick’s Rebecca Davis reported, he would go on to serve just four months, between August 2006 and January 2007.

According to SA History Online, Yengeni was a member of uMkhonto weSizwe, the ANC’s armed military wing. He was detained by the apartheid police for terrorism.

At one point, Yengeni was elected ANC Chief Whip in the National Assembly. DM

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A reminder – who is Tony Yengeni?