JOHANNESBURG — The African National Congress (ANC) has strongly condemned the recent “March and March” protest actions as chaotic and politically motivated, while simultaneously throwing its full support behind the National Assembly Speaker regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment interdict.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula announced that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has resolved that the “March-and-March” movement is attempting to replicate the July 2021 unrest—which was triggered by the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma—in a deliberate effort to make the nation ungovernable.
While the party acknowledged that illegal immigration is a genuine issue, Mbalula stated that the crisis is being exploited to score cheap political points by various individuals, including politicians. Describing the protests as a coordinated assault dressed up as a grievance, Mbalula warned that the current situation mirrors past instability.
“What we are witnessing now carries the same fingerprints,” Mbalula said. “Unlawful immigration is being manipulated by new political formations as a convenient cover whose real purpose is to manufacture chaos, collapse the institutions of the state, and engineer fear and unfair conditions on the very eve of our local government elections.”
Mbalula heavily criticized those marshaling citizens into anarchy, questioning the motives of leaders who exploit the situation. He pointed out the convenience of politicians who stand on platforms claiming that “people are speaking English” to stir up unrest and support street marches that lead to chaos.
ANC Backs Speaker’s Neutrality in Impeachment Dispute
In a separate but equally critical political development, the ANC threw its full weight behind the National Assembly Speaker’s decision to respect the court’s ruling concerning President Ramaphosa’s application to interdict the impeachment committee.
The Speaker recently accepted a legal opinion from a legal firm to remain neutral, choosing not to oppose the President’s application and instead filing a notice to abide by the court’s decision.
“The institution of the National Assembly must remain neutral, and the Speaker is properly preserving that neutrality by filing a notice to abide by the decision of the court,” Mbalula explained. He asserted that the Speaker stands above the political contest and has acted correctly, constitutionally, and with complete propriety throughout the process.
The ANC maintained that any attempt to draw the Speaker into the merits of the matter is misplaced and emphasized that the party will not countenance such actions, standing fully behind the office and the person of the Speaker.
Ramaphosa’s Mandate and Commitment
Addressing the broader context of the impeachment process, Mbalula confirmed that the ANC had given President Ramaphosa the mandate to review the report of the Section 89 independent panel regarding the matter.
Reaffirming the party’s stance on constitutional processes, Mbalula firmly stated that if the President is called upon to resign by the party, he will not hesitate, nor will he hold the country to ransom.
