Former ANC NEC Member Nathi Nhleko Resigns from ANC

Former African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) member and ex-Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has officially announced his resignation from the ANC, citing a misalignment of values with the current state of the party.

Nhleko’s decision comes after a public spat with ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula over statements made during the Nkandla scandal inquiry involving former President Jacob Zuma.

In his letter addressed to the Albertina Sisulu Branch secretary Tolo Fakazi, Nhleko lamented the party’s departure from its founding principles and expressed his disappointment in the direction the ANC has taken.

He criticized the internal dynamics of the ANC, pointing to what he perceived as a weakening moral compass and leadership crisis within the party.

Nhleko highlighted concerns about the privatization of state-owned enterprises, reduced state influence in critical sectors, and implications of austerity measures on social spending and public welfare.

The former minister raised issues of job losses, economic control, and moral decay within the ANC, implying a departure from the party’s historical mission and values.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri confirmed Nhleko’s resignation, noting that it was his democratic right to do so and defended the party’s Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula.

Nhleko expressed his frustration over internal party disputes being aired in public and lamented the lack of unity and shared purpose within the ANC’s leadership.

His resignation further underscores the deepening divisions and ideological shifts within the ANC, with prominent members expressing dissatisfaction with the party’s current trajectory.