We will throw the Patrice Motsepe t-shirts in the dustbin – Mbalula

Following media reports that t-shirts are being printed suggesting billionaire Patrice Motsepe will run for African National Congress (ANC) President, Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says that this was not done by the party. 

“People are doing things that are un-ANC. The issue of leadership succession and all that will come in 2027,” he said. 

“Those who are responsible for that, once we see it in our branches, we’re going to collect them and put them in the dustbin. That’s what we’re going to do.”

He said that he is not aware of the campaign being punted by any ANC members, but if the ANC leadership were to find out that it was, there would be consequences. “Because that matter is not open now,” he said. 

This comes after Political Analyst Prince Mashele discussed the t-shirts during a discussion with Mike Sham on the State of the Nation podcast, discussing factions within the party. 

“I have pictures of T-shirts the ANC is printing on which it is written, Savumelana, which means ‘we have agreed’, with PM, which stands for Patrice Motsepe,” he said.

“The printing machines are busy printing Patrice Motsepe’s T-shirts. This means that Motsepe wants to be president.”

Mbulula said that the ANC needs to focus on the most important task at hand – the upcoming local government elections.

He said it was particularly concerning that those supporting the potential campaign are from KwaZulu-Natal. 

“I mean, in KwaZulu-Natal, we’re sitting at 17%, and people are telling us about PM27 and all of those things, diverting the organisation from the major task we should be focusing on, the task of regaining lost ground,” said Mbalula. 

KZN is currently governed by a razor-thin majority coalition comprising the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and the National Freedom Party (NFP), named the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).

Together they make up 41 of the 80 seats in the legislature, with the MKP’s and Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) collective 39 seats in opposition.

In the latest developments, the NFP has withdrawn from the coalition, stripping the GPU of its razor-thin majority. 

“We are in a very precarious situation in KZN for comrades to be preoccupied with MP27, when we should be fighting to reclaim lost ground,” Mbalula said. 

A ‘mischievous’ campaign

He said that those who are printing the t-shirts are acting “mischievously” and there will be plenty of time to discuss candidates for ANC President after the local elections. 

When asked if Mbalula has engaged with Motsepe on the issue, he said that he has not and does not have to engage him. 

“If he’s a member of the ANC, he will know that there is an order in the organisation right now, and that matters of that nature will come,” he said. 

“If people want him to become president of the ANC for whatever reasons, and he is a member of the ANC, anyone can stand to become anything. That moment will come.”

Mbalula said that, if Motsepe was really an ANC supporter, he would be “pumping money into supporting the organisation” in preparation for local government elections. 

“I can’t be chasing ghosts, because when I get to him, he’s going to say, ‘when did I say I’m standing?’” Mbalula added. 

Motsepe has consistently denied plans to run for ANC president, saying he does not have to be president to contribute to South Africa.

Speaking to the Citizen on the matter following the t-shirt printings, Motsepe’s spokesperson has reiterated that “he has indicated many times… that he is not running for the ANC Presidency.”