ANC national leadership meets KZN leaders to 'reset the button': Mbalula

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party is concerned as it continues to lose by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaking to the media in Durban on Thursday, Mbalula said the party was not going to be defensive and say everything was “hunky-dory”.

“Of course, we need to be concerned because every loss is worrisome,” he said.

Mbalula said though the ANC lost some wards in the recent by-elections, it had won others.

“Everything is fluid but equilibrium, so there is no one-way erosion of ANC support,” he said.

Mbalula said the party had confidence in the leadership of the provincial task team (PTT) led by convener Jeff Radebe and coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu. He said the party was happy with the work of the PTT so far.

“The main task of the PTT is to improve the image of the ANC that is battered in KZN and also improve its standing,” he said.

The ANC national leadership led by Mbalula is in Durban meeting with the provincial leadership.

Mbalula said national leadership was there to “reset the button” and reinforce the party.

The provincial task team is expected to brief Mbalula on the status of the branches after the humiliating losses in the by-elections and the performance of the ANC's three MECs in the government of provincial unity.

This is after three provincial departments led by ANC MECs, education, transport and health, are in a shambles as they failed to pay service providers.

Mabuyakhulu said the branch audit assessment was nearing completion and would soon be presented to the national leadership. He said problems in the three departments emanated from technical glitches and National Treasury.

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