Bheki Mtolo:"The ANC is Being Attacked from Outside and the Inside"

• Former ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo says the party is under attack from both internal divisions and external forces
• He warned that the ANC’s greatest threat comes from within, urging party elders to stand firm during a turbulent period
• His remarks sparked strong public backlash, with critics blaming ANC leaders for the party’s decline and internal instability

Former ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo has warned that the African National Congress (ANC) is under attack from both within and outside the organisation. Mtolo was addressing the elderly during a Christmas party he hosted at his township of Shayamoya in Kokstad on 20 December 2025.

A clip of his speech was posted on X and has gone viral.

Mtolo said the party’s detractors do not want the ANC to continue with what he described as its good work for the people of South Africa. Speaking at a gathering attended by party elders, he acknowledged the difficult period the organisation is facing.

Read also

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya Shuts Down Another Brothel in the CBD

“Our parents, it is tough. I am going to write a book at the end of 2027. The book will be titled How to Destroy an Organisation in Three Months,” Mtolo said.

He urged senior members of the ANC to remain resilient and to stand firmly behind the organisation during what he described as a critical time.

“Our biggest enemies are within the organisation,” he added.

Mtolo’s remarks sparked mixed reactions from South Africans on social media, with many expressing frustration over internal divisions within the ANC.

South African weigh in on Mtolo's remarks

Jabulani Malindi said:

"This just shows how messy internal politics can get. When people start admitting the biggest problems are coming from within, it’s clear there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to rebuild trust and stability."

Senzo Ndlazi commented:

"He is one of them; he was arrogant."

@Indepentdepend1 stated:

"These are the people who made the situation worse in KZN, if ANC continues with this Mtolo guy , they will now get less than 10%."

@Dr_Ndlozi_Maths asked:

"Didn't he spend most of his time during the campaigning season talking about Zuma, instead of campaign for the party?"

Read also

SA reacts to Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma's Black Friday March in honour of DJ Warras

@MntwanaThokoza1 remarked:

"He must also write about killing ANC in single term, taking it from 57% down collapse to 17%. He must take responsibility."

ANC leaders reflect on party weaknesses

Mtolo is not the only ANC leader to publicly reflect on the party’s challenges. The ANC’s Head of Political Education, David Makhura, previously outlined what he believes are some of the organisation’s key weaknesses.

Addressing delegates at the party’s 5th National General Council (NGC) on 11 December 2025, Makhura said the ANC had erred by deploying and appointing unqualified individuals to critical positions. He stressed that the party’s deployment policy clearly requires cadres to be properly qualified for the roles they occupy

Makhura also identified corruption as a major weakness, noting that the party’s renewal efforts were aimed at addressing this issue. His remarks prompted social media users to respond cynically, with many saying these problems were long-standing and widely known.

Read also

Kwesta calls out Herman Mashaba over DJ Warras murder: "The man hit you up in front of our eyes"

Internal tensions within the ANC

Internal disagreements have also played out publicly in recent months. On 18 August 2025, the ANC slammed National Executive Committee (NEC) members Senzo Mchunu and Dr Malusi Gigaba over their comments on the party’s condition.

In an interview published on 17 August, Gigaba suggested that the ANC should have excluded the Democratic Alliance from the Government of National Unity. Mchunu, meanwhile, warned that the party was on the verge of collapse. The ANC responded by condemning both statements, with spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu stating that the comments violated internal communication protocols and undermined party discipline.

Previously, Briefly News highlighted the life and political career of Bheki Mtolo. Unconfirmed reports suggest he was involved in the ANC underground during apartheid. His formal political career began to gain momentum in 2010 when he served as Provincial Secretary of the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal under Mxolisi Kaunda.

Read also

Two Female Bodies Found in a House in Mpumalanga: South Africans Shocked

In 2011, Mtolo became an ANC councillor at the Greater Kokstad Local Municipality and was later elected Deputy Mayor. He joined the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee in 2015 and was elected Mayor of Greater Kokstad in August 2016.

Mtolo retained the mayoral position until his resignation in August 2022. He later served as the ANC’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary before the reconfiguration of the provincial leadership structure, after which he was reassigned to oversee the Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation subcommittee.

Source: Briefly News