Ronald Lamola has demanded a retraction after Dlamini-Zuma also mentioned him in her vote-buying claims
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula briefs the media on the repatriation of South Africa’s liberation heroes from Angola at Freedom Park Restaurant on 31 July 2026 in Pretoria. Picture: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has threatened senior National Executive Committee (NEC) member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with a court battle.
This comes after Dlamini-Zuma accused Mbalula of using money to ensure that he is elected as secretary-general at the party’s 54th national conference in 2022. Dlamini-Zuma made these allegations on Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s podcast.
“Oh, you remember there was money that was found in somebody’s room, half a billion, on the first morning of the conference… and also Mbalula was dishing the money in the clinic. So, money has played a role in the ANC,” she said.
Dlamini-Zuma said Mbalula was also handing out money for President Cyril Ramaphosa to be elected at the same conference.
“Money was used we all know… we all saw it. At least in 2022, we saw it. If you ask anyone who worked at the clinic at the time, they will tell you; even the media reported it. I am not revealing a secret,” she said.
Dlamini-Zuma stressed that ANC elective conferences are no longer legitimate contests.
“I do not know how you make decisions when you were paid in order to be where you are. So I don’t know whether you make decisions independently or you think of the money you got,” she said.
Mbalula criticises Dlamini-Zuma
However, at an ANC NEC meeting in Boksburg on Friday, Mbalula described Dlamini-Zuma’s utterances as “erratic” and “unexpected”.
“You will expect that a person of her standing would have raised the matters formally in the organisation and allowed the integrity commission to deal with those matters.
“In as far as the party is concerned, [it] will process those matters at the level of the officials and settle them there,” he said.
Watch: Dlamini-Zuma accuses Mbalula of buying votes
Mbalula questioned Dlamini-Zuma’s loyalty to the ANC, noting that her remarks come as the ANC is preparing for local government elections.
“We are facing an election and therefore facing an election means that all hands should be on deck, and it’s a matter that I raised some time back about veterans, but worse off a veteran who serves in the National Executive Committee… unless the intentions are malicious either to weaken the ANC and not help the ANC address and overcome those particular issues,” he said.
Legal proceedings
Mbalula said he may have to clear his name in court.
“No individuals in the context of the South African constitution have the right to tarnish anybody’s name and that is the case… It’s not about Mama Nkosazana; it’s about me and in this matter, I have written to her, advised by my lawyers, that she must clarify those issues and if she fails to do so, we will go to court.
“It’s not a threat; that is what I am going to do,” he said.
Lamola also seeks retraction
Dlamini-Zuma also implicated International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola in the vote-buying syndicate at the ANC elective conference.
“There was also a voice note from Lamola saying they are waiting for the money because this NDZ thing is going to disturb if this money does not come,” she said.
Lamola has denied these claims and has demanded a retraction from Dlamini-Zuma.
Dlamini-Zuma ran for the ANC’s presidency in 2017 and 2022 after her ex-husband Jacob Zuma exited the presidential office.
