We meet here today, and as the African National Congress, we are in a time of deep reflection, collective mourning, and steadfast commitment to our historic mission. The past few days have brought moments of profound sadness and introspection. Today, we speak with clarity, conscience, and a resolute sense of duty to the people of South Africa.
REMEMBERING COMRADE DAVID DABEDE “DD” MABUZA: A HUMBLE STRATEGIST, A SERVANT LEADER
The African National Congress joins the nation and the broader progressive movement in mourning the passing of former Deputy President of the Republic and of the ANC, Comrade David Dabede “DD” Mabuza. This is not only a loss for the ANC, it is a national loss.
Comrade Mabuza embodied disciplined, humble, and people-centred leadership. A son of the soil, born of rural hardship, he never detached from the lived realities of ordinary South Africans. His leadership was quiet but effective, grounded in the ethos of care, dialogue, and delivery.
We remember his powerful and principled declaration: “No child must be denied quality education because he or she is poor and living in a farm.” This was not mere rhetoric. It was a conviction rooted in personal experience and a lifelong commitment to the struggle against inequality.
From his time as Premier of Mpumalanga to his leadership in the Union Buildings, Comrade Mabuza served with strategic calm, unity-building focus, and institutional wisdom. His election as Deputy President of the ANC in 2017 marked a critical moment of renewal and stabilisation within the movement.
As Deputy President of the Republic, he led inter-ministerial committees focused on land reform, rural and township economic revitalisation, and accelerated service delivery. As Deputy President, he also assumed responsibilities for the SA National AIDS Council, work related to the plight of military veterans and a host of other issues assigned to him by the President. Internationally, he represented South Africa with quiet dignity and a firm strategic hand.
Comrade Mabuza preferred action over attention, solutions over slogans. He was a unifier in moments of deep political uncertainty, a stabilising force whose legacy will grow in clarity and appreciation with time. The ANC salutes this loyal cadre and faithful patriot who walked with kings but never lost the common touch.
SENTENCING OF THE ASSASSIN WHO BRUTALLY MURDERED COMRADE MAGAQA
The African National Congress acknowledges the sentencing of the assassin Sibusiso Ncengwa to 25 years in prison for the murder of Comrade Sindiso Magaqa, the former Secretary-General of the ANC Youth League and a dedicated member of our movement. This sentencing reaffirms the principle that no act of political violence will go unpunished. While no amount of punishment can bring back the life of a revolutionary servant of the people, this ruling sends a strong message that our democracy will not tolerate violence as a means of silencing any voices.
Comrade Magaqa embodied a generation of courageous youth leaders, and we reiterate our unwavering commitment to eradicating all forms of political violence, safeguarding the right to life, and honouring the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives in service of our national democratic revolution.
MANDELA MONTH: LIVING THE VALUES THAT DEFINED MADIBA
As we enter Mandela Month, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the ideals of a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa; ideals that guided uTata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and that continue to animate the soul of our movement and nation.
We call on all structures of the ANC, organs of people’s power, civil society organisations, faith-based institutions, and all South Africans to honour Madiba not merely in memory, but through deeds; by deepening public service, advancing social solidarity, and renewing the spirit of Ubuntu.
Madiba believed in humility, forgiveness, discipline, justice, and unity. His legacy reminds us that leadership is not about position but about service, especially to the poor, vulnerable, and marginalised.
Let Mandela Month be a time of national renewal. Let it be marked by practical acts of compassion: cleaning communities, mentoring youth, protecting the elderly, and upholding the law. Let us each be the difference that Madiba envisioned when he said, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.”
70 YEARS OF THE FREEDOM CHARTER: A LIVING MANDATE
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter; a foundational document of our struggle that continues to guide the moral and political compass of our democracy.
While the main commemoration event, initially planned for 12 July, has been postponed due to the passing of Comrade Mabuza, the ANC remains committed to a robust programme that will honour the brave men and women who convened in Kliptown in 1955.
The National Dialogue process, as part of the Government of National Unity (GNU), is a continuation of this spirit; building consensus, listening to the people, and shaping a shared future. We remain resolute that our democracy must always be rooted in the voices and aspirations of the people.
RENEWAL, REBUILDING, AND ORGANISATIONAL DISCIPLINE
Over the past year, the ANC has accelerated its renewal programme with greater urgency. We have taken bold steps to enforce organisational discipline, combat corruption, and rebuild public trust.
More than 92,000 members have completed the Political Education Foundation Course; a clear sign that cadre development and ideological grounding are taking root across the organisation. We are rebuilding a principled movement; one that places service above self and integrity above convenience.
We remain steadfast in strengthening the state, improving service delivery, and restoring the legitimacy of public institutions through ethical leadership and decisive governance.
LIBERATION MOVEMENTS SUMMIT: ADVANCING SOLIDARITY AND PAN-AFRICANISM
From 24 to 28 July 2025, we will host the Liberation Movements Summit in Gauteng, attended by FRELIMO (Mozambique), SWAPO (Namibia), ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe), CHAMA CHA MAPINDUZI (Tanzania), and the MPLA (Angola).
This strategic engagement will reaffirm our collective commitment to African unity, development, gender equality, and resistance against neo-colonialism and imperial domination.
In that spirit, the ANC expresses its deepening concern at the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Palestine. We call for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and the restoration of basic dignity to the Palestinian people. As the ANC, we stand in firm solidarity with all oppressed peoples around the world.
RESTORING DIGNITY THROUGH DELIVERY
We remain committed to improving the lived realities of our people through transparent and responsive governance.
We commend the Department of Human Settlements for launching a digital housing application system that expands access, enhances transparency, and reduces corruption. We further welcome the acceleration in the issuance of title deeds; affirming the dignity of ownership and security for thousands of families.
We also applaud the decisive action by SAPS in dismantling a fraudulent UIF claims syndicate. We thank the Minister of Labour and Employment for ensuring that this investigation is followed by systemic reforms. Let it be known: corruption will not be tolerated. Crime will not go unpunished. Public funds belong to the people; not to criminal syndicates or dishonest officials.
HIGHER EDUCATION: PROGRESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY
We are encouraged by gains in higher education, including expanded access to universities and TVET colleges, record numbers of graduates, and the inclusion of the University of Johannesburg in the top 500 global rankings.
We recognise the role of NSFAS and SETAs in improving access and skills development. However, we do not turn a blind eye to persistent challenges; including administrative inefficiencies, infrastructure gaps, and governance failures in some institutions.
The ANC is determined to work with stakeholders to address these issues decisively. We are committed to building an education system that is just, inclusive, and capable of driving innovation and development.
RESPONDING TO COMMISSIONER MKHWANAZI’S ALLEGATIONS
The African National Congress takes seriously the recent allegations made by KZN Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. These allegations touch on the very integrity of the criminal justice system and the constitutional obligation of the state to protect all South Africans.
We call upon President Cyril Ramaphosa to act with the seriousness and urgency this matter demands. The ANC reaffirms its commitment to accountability, non-interference in law enforcement, and the full protection of whistleblowers, investigators, and officers of the law.
We must all work to ensure that the rule of law stands above any undue interference, intimidation, or abuse of power.
MEDIA ETHICS AND THE CRISIS OF COMPROMISED JOURNALISM
We must raise an uncomfortable but necessary issue: the rise of unethical behaviour within sections of the media, and the corrosive impact it is having on South Africa’s democracy. The African National Congress is gravely concerned by the growing pattern of what can only be described as captured journalism; a disturbing phenomenon where certain journalists are no longer reporting the news, but are actively involved in shaping political agendas, settling scores, and waging battles on behalf waging battles on behalf of those they align with or represent.
This is not journalism; it is political warfare waged under the banner of the Fourth Estate. We respect media freedom, we fought for it but that freedom must never be confused with impunity. The South African public has a right to expect truth, balance, and accountability from its media.
The ANC calls on the Press Council, SANEF, media ombuds institutions, journalism schools, and editors’ forums to act decisively to confront this creeping ethical rot. If they do not, they risk presiding over the wholesale collapse of media credibility in the eyes of ordinary South Africans.
We also call on media houses to conduct internal audits of editorial independence and to develop stronger safeguards against political interference. Media owners have a duty to protect their platforms from being used as weapons in power plays.
To be clear, we are not at war with the media. We are at war with misinformation and disinformation, with the manipulation of facts, and with the systematic erosion of journalistic ethics that undermines the public’s right to know and distorts democratic discourse.
The ANC will continue to engage openly and transparently with ethical journalists and independent media houses. But we will not remain silent in the face of a growing information disorder that undermines our movement, sow division in society, and weakens the institutions that sustain our democracy. If South Africa is to thrive, the media must rise to its own moment of renewal.
HONOURING THE PAST, PROTECTING THE FUTURE
As we reflect on the life of Comrade DD Mabuza and mark Mandela Month, we are reminded that real leadership is not about visibility; it is about consistency, character, and care.
The ANC recommits itself to the cause of ethical leadership, clean governance, and the ideals of the Freedom Charter. We dare not fail the people who placed their trust in us. We dare not betray the sacrifices of those who came before.
We are the movement of Tambo, Sisulu, Mandela, Maxeke, Plaatjie, Nokwe, and Winnie Mandela. We serve the people. We advance the revolution. And we move forward together.
SOURCED FROM LUTHULI HOUSE WEBSITE.