Mbalula: Integrity commission report on Phala Phala off agenda at extended ANC conference

Newly-elected ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has said the Phala Phala scandal that has engulfed President Cyril Ramaphosa would not be discussed at the extended ANC conference and that the national executive committee would deal with it “as and when there is a need to do so”. 

On Tuesday, Mbalula, a loyal ally of Ramaphosa, told a media briefing that only the reports by committees and constitutional amendments — and not the integrity commission’s report — would form part of the agenda for the wrap-up of the ANC’s 55th national conference, set for Thursday. 

The first part of the conference was held from 16 to 20 December. The ANC extended the conference after it failed to meet its 20 December deadline to adopt and finalise its resolutions at Nasrec, Johannesburg.

The last part of the conference will be in hybrid format, with delegates converging in their respective provinces to discuss the ANC’s policies. 

Delegates at Nasrec demanded details of what was contained in the integrity commission’s report on the Phala Phala matter. Ramaphosa had appeared twice before the commission, which is composed of party elders who make recommendations related to the ethical and moral standing of ANC leaders. 

“The issue of the Phala Phala report was referred to the national executive committee [NEC]. As you know, there are important milestones in relation to this matter,” Mbalula said, deflecting attention to individuals in the ANC who voted with opposition parties in defiance of the ANC’s directive on the issue.

Mbalula said these high-ranking leaders, including Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, had been referred to the party’s internal disciplinary body.

“The Phala Phala issue as and when it arises, if it will, the national executive committee will deal with it as and when there is a need to do so,” the new chief administrator of the ruling party said. 

The ANC has kicked the can of the integrity commission report down the road since reports indicated that it was ready to be tabled before the previous NEC cohort in November.

At least two NEC meetings came and went with the report failing to be tabled. There was then a conclusion that the report — expected to be damning towards Ramaphosa — form part of the party’s organisational report that would be discussed and adopted at the national conference. 

The organisational report made a passing mention of Phala Phala, merely stating that the commission had met Ramaphosa twice, with no findings or recommendations made known to conference delegates. 

The Mail & Guardian previously reported that the integrity commission was deadlocked over a draft report recommending that Ramaphosa take leave of absence while the investigation into the Phala Phala scandal is concluded. Six high-ranking ANC insiders had said the recommendation had been the cause of an impasse for several weeks.

On Tuesday, Mbalula took potshots at ANC leaders who defied the party and voted with opposition parties, saying this would no longer be tolerated under his watch. 

ANC MPs Dlamini Zuma, Mervyn Dirks, Mosebenzi Zwane, Supra Mahumapelo and Thandi Mahambehlala voted against the line adopted by the party caucus in the National Assembly to reject a report by an independent panel that found Ramaphosa may have a case to answer. NEC members Zweli Mkhize and Lindiwe Sisulu, who had both called for the report’s adoption, were absent during the public vote call.

Mbalula said no ANC member would be allowed to work with opposition parties, characterising it as anarchy. 

“Discipline is going to run supreme in this organisation,” he said, adding that allowing  anarchy when the party’s constitution has clear guidelines on how to deal with it would lead to the ANC’s disintegration. 

“You can’t have members of the ANC when people have Mimosa vote us in majority. You vote for an opposition where we don’t have coalition challenges …  ANC members decided to vote for the mayor of the opposition. What is that, that is a disciplinary issue.  We’ve got to deal with those particular issues.

“But you don’t use discipline where you differ with comrades and then you use discipline, you persuade comrades where it is necessary politically but if they overstep discipline will be the last resort. But discipline must be discipline. So, discipline is equal to the rule of law. Once the rule of law in the country is not there, the authority of the state is challenged, that government will not fly.”