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Ramaphosa assures competitive overhaul will curb skyrocketing electricity costs

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday vowed to tackle the country's soaring electricity tariffs, acknowledging that the rising cost of power is inflicting severe financial hardship on families and crippling business competitiveness.

Writing in his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President declared that South Africa must move away from its century-old reliance on a single utility provider if it hopes to secure an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy future.

Over the past two decades, South African electricity prices have surged dramatically and Ramaphosa highlighted that these high costs force ordinary citizens to make "impossible choices" while trying to balance food, transport and basic necessities.

He said for the business sector, the consequences are equally damaging, with manufacturing goods and providing services becoming increasingly expensive.

Ramaphosa noted that massive cost overruns at Eskom's mega-projects, specifically the Medupi and Kusile power stations, contributed to the utility's mountain of debt, a burden ultimately passed down to consumers and taxpayers.

While acknowledging that Eskom's operational performance has turned a corner, showing clear signs of stabilisation and improvement, with Ramaphosa attributing this to workers and management, he warned against complacency.

"The electricity crisis demonstrated the danger of relying overwhelmingly on a single company to meet the energy needs of an entire economy," Ramaphosa wrote. "This model is no longer sustainable if we want reliable and cheap electricity."

The structural shift will not mean privatising Eskom, he asserted. Instead, the State aims to relieve the utility of the sole burden of generation and investment, allowing multiple players to enter the market while government retains full ownership of the transmission network.

To drive down costs and secure the power grid, government is executing a multi-pronged reform strategy under the Energy Action Plan.

Ramaphosa noted a New Electricity Pricing Policy which has recently been published, to guarantee transparent tariffs, protect the poor, and prevent Eskom's structural inefficiencies from being passed on to the public.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa is finalising regulations to allow multiple public and private generators to compete. Ramaphosa believes this competition will apply downward pressure on prices.

The independent Transmission System Operator (TSO) is expected to manage the national grid impartially. Acting as a "referee" between Eskom and private producers, the TSO will ensure equal grid access and help raise the vast investment needed to expand transmission lines.

Ramaphosa emphasised that structural reforms will unlock South Africa's world-class wind and solar resources.

By establishing the right infrastructure and competitive frameworks, the country could transform abundance into a distinct economic edge, he believes.

Over time, cheap and clean electricity is projected to catalyse brand-new industrial sectors, including green hydrogen and electric vehicle production, potentially creating hundreds of thousands of sustainable jobs.

"There should be no disagreement about what South Africans need," Ramaphosa said. "They need electricity when they switch on the lights. They need electricity they can afford... and our country needs an electricity system capable of powering economic growth for generations to come."

IFP unveils Mkhuleko Hlengwa as eThekwini mayoral candidate

The IFP has officially declared its readiness for the upcoming 2026 local government elections, announcing Mkhuleko Hlengwa as its mayoral candidate for the eThekwini metropolitan municipality.

Speaking at a media briefing, IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa revealed that the party will deploy a "two-horns" campaign strategy in the strategic metro.

Hlengwa will lead the charge alongside Sizwe Skhakhane, who has been announced as the party's eThekwini deputy mayoral candidate.

The IFP leadership expressed ultimate confidence in Hlengwa, noting that his "extensive experience, vibrant energy, and deep understanding of public administration" uniquely position him to lead a campaign focused on restoring effective, accountable, and people-centred governance to eThekwini.

Hlabisa confirmed that the IFP has successfully submitted all candidate lists to the Independent Electoral Commission, filing both its ward councillor and proportional representation lists a day before Friday's closing date.

Framing the scale of this year's participation as definitive proof of the IFP's growing national footprint, Hlabisa highlighted that the party is launching a significantly larger campaign compared to the 2021 local government elections.

The party is rapidly expanding beyond its traditional KwaZulu-Natal stronghold, establishing sustainable political structures in provinces like Limpopo, the Free State and Mpumalanga.

Hlabisa explained that the party will field 3 188 candidates across the municipalities it is contesting (up from 2 570 candidates across 105 municipalities in 2021).

This will be 1 922 wards candidates and 1 266 proportional representative candidates, he said.

The party is contesting 108 wards in the City of Johannesburg, where Mlungisi Mabaso has been officially announced as the mayoral candidate.

"Sustainable" political structures have been established in provinces historically outside the party's main base, including Limpopo, the Free State, and Mpumalanga.

"The number of councillor candidates contesting elections outside the IFP's traditional stronghold demonstrates that the IFP continues to grow across the country. It also reinforces a point we have consistently made: the IFP is not a regional party," said Hlabisa.

He rejected historical labels painting the IFP as an ethnically exclusive organisation.

He pointed to the diverse demographics of the 2026 candidate list as evidence of a modern, inclusive party.

Women and young people make up the majority of the selected councillor candidates. Hlabisa emphasised that investing in young leaders is vital as the party eyes its upcoming 50-year milestone and looks ahead to its centenary celebrations in 2075.

The party's next major milestone will be the official unveiling of its policy blueprint.

The IFP will launch its Local Government Elections Manifesto on September 20 at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu.

Meanwhile, Hlabisa condemned a violent assault on three IFP members in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.

On Sunday, IFP volunteers and a local ward candidate were putting up campaign posters in the Ezingolweni, KwaNyuswa area (Ward 34) when they were confronted by individuals stating the IFP was not welcome to campaign there.

The encounter escalated into a physical assault.

Hlabisa called the incident "completely unacceptable" and made an urgent appeal to all political structures and citizens for political tolerance. He stressed that democratic elections must remain a peaceful contest of ideas, policies, and leadership, not a battleground for intimidation and physical violence.

Independent investigation finds no diesel missing, but identifies governance lapses – Eskom

An independent investigation, commissioned by State-owned power utility Eskom, into diesel procurement and storage contracts under Tender MWP2197GX found no evidence that diesel paid for by Eskom is missing.

The investigation did, however, confirm instances of non-adherence to Eskom processes concerning payments made to certain suppliers.

These substantiated findings relate principally to payments outside contractual terms and emergency approvals that did not comply with Eskom's Delegation of Authority, the utility says.

"Eskom accepts the substantiated findings and is implementing corrective measures," it adds.

Tender MWP2197GX was issued by Eskom's Generation Division in late 2023 for the supply, delivery, storage and handling of diesel and related fuels for Eskom's open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) power stations.

The contracts were structured on a five-year, as-and-when-required basis and covered fuel sourcing, transportation, storage, handling and bulk inventory management.

The contracts were awarded in late November 2024 against the backdrop of significantly improved generation performance. Eskom had, at the time, achieved 310 consecutive days without loadshedding owing to the Generation Recovery Plan.

However, from January to March 2025, a combination of extensive generation unit breakdowns, delayed unit returns from maintenance and constrained pumped-storage reserves, placed a constrained power system under severe pressure, which significantly increased reliance on OCGTs and strategic reserves to maintain security of supply and limit the severity and duration of loadshedding.

Both consumption of diesel and onsite deliveries increased sharply from late January to March 2025, before declining rapidly.

The operating conditions experienced between January and March 2025 were reflected in the rapid depletion of strategic diesel reserves and constrained pumped-storage resources, Eskom says.

During the period leading up to February 1, 2025, available generating hours at Ankerlig, which is Eskom's largest OCGT facility, declined from about 303 hours to about 52 hours within four days, as the station was extensively used to support the power system and limit the severity of loadshedding in a controlled manner.

The decline in fuel reserves occurred despite ongoing replenishment efforts and reflected a combination of exceptionally high diesel consumption, logistics constraints and the broader deterioration in generation performance experienced during that period.

Eskom then implemented replenishment efforts, which resulted in the rectification of the diesel reserves once the fuel deliveries were completed.

Subsequently, available generating hours at Ankerlig recovered to about 250 hours from about 52 hours within two days and to about 300 hours within five days, which restored operational flexibility and rebuilt reserves while the OCGT fleet continued supporting the power system.

The objective was to protect the power system and limit the severity and duration of loadshedding. Maintaining security of supply remained the overriding operational priority, Eskom says.

Advance payments had also been made under the previous fuel-supply contract with major fuel oil suppliers that were in effect since 2019 and expired in December 2024 in urgent operational circumstances. This may have contributed to advance payment being viewed as an available operational mechanism.

However, previous use did not remove the requirement to obtain the prescribed approval or, where action was taken before approval, to complete the required ratification promptly thereafter as per governance processes for handling emergencies, Eskom points out.

The payments made outside contractual terms during early 2025 involve about R3-billion across three suppliers. These matters relate primarily to governance and approval noncompliance rather than missing diesel or financial loss.

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DA leads R116m party donations as non-compliant ANC faces IEC penalties

The DA has emerged as the largest beneficiary of political party donations this quarter, while the ANC has been flagged for non-compliance.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has published the political party donation disclosures for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. Covering April 1 to June 30, the report revealed that political parties declared a total of R116.78-million in compliant donations.

The commission said the surge in financial mobilisation coincides with the formal proclamation of November 4 as the official date for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

According to the commission, the formalisation of the election date is expected to trigger a significant increase in political fundraising and campaign expenditure as parties intensify voter outreach.

The DA accounted for about 89% of all declared compliant funding, totalling R104 034 185.25.

The DA's funding includes R98.75-million in monetary donations and R5.28-million of in-kind donations. Major corporate and individual contributors include R30-million from Fynbos Ekwiteit; R25-million from Fynbos Kapitaal; R10-million from D Barnes; R5-million each from R Slack Diamond and J Slack Jell; and R5-million each from M Moshal and Lombard Consolidated.

The party also disclosed significant in-kind assistance for advertising, staffing, legal services, and assets, including R2.78-million from the Voices of South Africa Foundation NPC and two vehicles valued at R528 655 from Mr and Mrs T Madilonga.

The IEC noted that several other political parties registered compliant funding during the three-month period, with ActionSA declaring R5.5-million, driven by a R5-million contribution from Martin Moshal and R500 000 from Siyaya Free To Air TV.

However, the IEC has issued a direction to ActionSA as the donor declaration from Siyaya TV remains outstanding.

Newly formed party, Labour Party of South Africa, launched in early 2024 by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), received R5-million directly from the union on June 30.

RISE Mzansi disclosed a total of R2.25-million in fully compliant monetary donations from Ungani Investments (R1.25-million) and Captrust Investments (R1-million)

Meanwhile, the ANC failed to have any of its current or historical donations included in the official compliant total.

The IEC identified severe compliance deficiencies regarding R15 270 000 in recent ANC funding submissions.

This comprises R15-million from the Batho Batho Trust and R270 000 from Captrust Investment.

Furthermore, the party submitted late reports for several large donations tied to the previous financial year, including R15-million of in-kind donations in April last year and a R15-million monetary donation in December last year, from Batho Batho Trust.

The IEC noted R10-million from Botho Botho Commercial Enterprises, in December 2025 and R1-million from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Valumax Projects.

The commission noted that the ANC and its donors failed basic compliance tests. Deficiencies included late reporting, failure to provide dual disclosures, and missing proof of the underlying transactions.

While the IEC clarified that these omissions do not automatically render the underlying donations unlawful, it has issued a formal direction to the ANC to rectify the issues.

Failure to comply could lead to severe penalties, including the withholding of funds from the Political Representatives Fund and Multi-Party Democracy Fund, or referral to the Electoral Court.

The IEC stressed that maintaining public confidence ahead of the upcoming local government elections requires absolute "transparency and accountability".

"The Commission remains committed to ensuring that increased political funding activity is accompanied by effective transparency, accountability and compliance," the IEC stated, reinforcing that it will continue to closely monitor disclosures and enforce re...

Cachalia says decline in serious contact crimes, but GBV a challenge

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, on Friday, announced a downward trend in several of the country's most severe contact crimes during the release of the first-quarter crime statistics for the 2026/27 financial year.

The data highlights a consecutive quarterly drop in murders alongside substantial reductions in highly feared, organised crimes.

However, he emphasised that high-density violence and gender-based violence (GBV) remain critical challenges.

Murder rates declined for another consecutive quarter and significant reductions were recorded in carjackings, residential robberies, business robberies, and cash-in-transit heists.

Murder decreased by 5.9%, from 5 770 to 5 427 cases, which is 343 fewer murders compared with the same period last year.

Carjackings saw a 18.2% decrease from 4 657 to 3 811 recorded in the new quarter.

Residential robberies dropped from 5 360 to 4 416, a 17.6% decrease from the previous quarter.

Sexual offences saw a drop from 11 630 to 11 532, a 0.8% decrease.

Crime remains highly concentrated, with a small number of police precincts accounting for most violent incidents and joint operations with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) yielding positive results, though long-term local capacity remains a challenge.

According to Cachalia, the decrease in sophisticated crimes shows that strategic shifts within the South African Police Service (SAPS) are bearing fruit.

"Seeing sustained declines across these categories demonstrates that intelligence-led policing, targeted operations and improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies are beginning to have an impact," Cachalia stated.

The Minister said organised crime and interpersonal crime reflect a deeper breakdown of social trust and community fabric.

Despite the positive percentage shifts, the Minister maintained a sober outlook.

"Every murder remains one too many. Every victim deserves justice," Cachalia added, acknowledging that the statistics do not erase the daily reality of violent crime for South Africans.

While economic and organised crimes saw an encouraging dip, crimes against women, children, and vulnerable society members increased during the reporting period.

Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) stays at the top of the national policing priority list. Deputy Minister Dr Polly Boshielo is actively leading the National GBVF Action Plan to spearhead response efforts.

The Ministry pledged sustained financial and operational investments focusing on prevention initiatives, victim support structures, thorough investigations and rigorous prosecution.

The statistics reaffirmed that crime in South Africa is highly localised.

SAPS plans to leverage this data to ensure operational decisions and resource allocations are driven entirely by crime intelligence and hard evidence rather than assumptions.

Addressing the ongoing joint deployments with the SANDF, Cachalia praised localised success but offered a direct assessment of military intervention.

"Sustained deployments hold ground; they do not by themselves transform a precinct," Cachalia warned. "Where we withdraw without building permanent local capacity, the problem returns. That is the honest lesson over the years, and it is shaping how we plan the next phase."

Moving forward, the Minister confirmed that joint operations will persist alongside targeted, aggressive campaigns against specific criminal networks.

Law enforcement will focus heavily on dismantling extortion syndicates, kidnapping networks, illegal mining operations and gangsterism in areas where criminal networks have eroded State authority.

"These statistics tell us two important things simultaneously: progress is possible, but our work is far from complete," said Cachalia.

MISSING DATA

Human rights organisation Amnesty International South Africa has issued a warning following the release of the crime statistics, arguing that the true sca...

ANC welcomes failed no confidence motion against Didiza

Following the failed motion of no confidence against National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, brought by the EFF, the ANC parliamentary caucus welcomed the vote outcome, characterising the EFF's motion as a "groundless attempt to disrupt parliamentary operations".

The motion was rejected by 282 votes to 101, which the ANC said confirmed the National Assembly's confidence in Didiza.

"The motion brought by the EFF was nothing more than a calculated political gimmick designed to undermine democratic processes, generate media headlines and waste the valuable time of Parliament. At no point did the Speaker violate any law, standing rule, or constitutional obligation," the party said.

The EFF's motion alleged that Didiza acted "unfairly, partially, and in a partisan manner" regarding her procedural handling of President Cyril Ramaphosa's legal interdict application.

In response, the ANC clarified that the Speaker exercised "sound legal judgment" and respected ongoing judicial processes to ensure the National Assembly operated strictly within the rule of law.

The party emphasised that since assuming office two years ago, Didiza has protected the institution by respecting court processes so that Parliament does not overreach or violate due process.

ActionSA joined the ANC in rejecting the motion, emphasising that its vote was a matter of constitutional principle rather than a blanket endorsement of the ANC-led Government of National Unity.

ActionSA national spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni stated that a motion of no confidence cannot become a routine parliamentary remedy whenever a political party disagrees with a Speaker's ruling.

She pointed out that removing a Speaker requires substantive grounds that demonstrate that they have fundamentally failed in the duties of the office, compromised the integrity of Parliament or become incapable of presiding over the House with the required impartiality.

"In this instance, we do not believe the EFF has established that case," Ngobeni said.

She noted that while ActionSA has previously been critical of Didiza's handling of aspects of the Section 89 process concerning Ramaphosa, she said political criticism cannot be converted into grounds for removal merely out of convenience.

ActionSA concluded that Didiza has discharged her responsibilities with a "degree of restraint and institutional independence far exceeding her predecessors".

RISE Mzansi national leader Songezo Zibi strongly critiqued the logic of the EFF's motion, arguing that it "unfairly" targeted an individual for decisions made collectively by parliamentary structures.

Zibi pointed out that the Impeachment Committee, not the Speaker, decided to oppose the review application.

Therefore, expecting the Speaker to dictate or ponder the committee's legal position suffers from a "fatal internal contradiction".

He explained that the decision to not accommodate the President's initial request belonged entirely to the Impeachment Committee.

He said no political parties objected when the Speaker routinely passed correspondence from the President directly to the Committee for its exclusive response.

He added that the Speaker has no legal role in the litigation decisions of independent parliamentary committees.

GOOD Party appeals R90 000 Electoral Court fine over funding violations

The GOOD Party has announced its intention to appeal an Electoral Court judgment which found the party and its leadership in breach of the Political Party Funding Act.

The court ordered the party and its secretary-general Brett Herron to pay a combined fine of R90 000 for failing to comply with national electoral funding regulations.

The court judgment found that ahead of the 2021 Municipal Elections the GOOD Party, during August and September of that year, bought T-shirts and other political marketing material from Kairos Communications for R1 972 365.

A further R900 000 was paid to Kairos Communications by Electrox Properties, apparently as a donor, on behalf of the GOOD Party.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) argued that the R900 000 donation was not disclosed by the GOOD Party and did not reflect in the party's annual financial statements for the relevant financial period.

"The GOOD Party simply did not account for this gratuitous donation to it from Electrox Properties," the court judgment read.

In response to the ruling, Herron defended the party's financial practices. He emphasised that the GOOD Party operates on a "modest budget" and "scrupulously adheres" to all legal requirements.

Herron criticised the court's process and the source of the initial complaint, accusing the Electoral Court of reaching its judgment without hearing argument or evidence.

He believes the ruling relies on the "fabrications of a disgruntled former official" who he says was expelled for pocketing party donations.

Internal legal counsel believes the court erred in several respects, directly impacting the outcome of the judgment.

DA member Shaun August revealed himself as the whistleblower who initiated the IEC investigation.

August, a former member of the GOOD party, stated that his suspicions grew under the leadership of Herron and party leader Patricia de Lille.

August welcomed the court's decision, stating that hiding political funding is a serious offence in South Africa.

Dlamini-Zuma, Mbalula go head to head in court over vote-buying claims

ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced she stands firmly by the substance of her concerns regarding financial corruption within internal party contests, as she confirmed that her legal representatives had on Tuesday filed a formal notice of intention to oppose ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula suit against her.

This follows Dlamini-Zuma's remarks made during a recent appearance on an episode of the African Renaissance Podcast, a platform hosted by former EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

During her appearance, the former Minister alleged that illicit monetary influence extensively manipulated executive outcomes during major party elections.

Specifically, Dlamini-Zuma accused Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola and Mbalula of participating in vote-buying during the ANC's fifty-fourth National Conference in 2017. She alleged that a circulating audio recording directly implicated Lamola in these transactional activities.

Furthermore, she went on to accuse Mbalula of openly "dishing out money" at a clinic facility during the fifty-fifth National Conference in 2022 to secure his position and protect Cyril Ramaphosa's presidency.

Earlier this month, Mbalula announced legal action against Dlamini-Zuma and confirmed that he will also refer the matter to the ANC Integrity Commission to clear his name.

Since then, Dlamini-Zuma has issued a formal retraction of her comments about Lamola.

However, she has not issued a similar retraction to comments made about Mbalula and instead doubled down on her concerns regarding financial corruption in the party.

"I stand by my statements and the substance of the argument raised," she asserted. "Out of respect for the court, I will not argue the merits of the case through public statements as the matter will now be fully ventilated in court."

Despite the legal risks, Dlamini-Zuma insisted that the overarching structural issue cannot be silenced by litigation or brushed aside.

She stressed that the ANC is undergoing a "critical process" of organisational renewal that will fail if the party does not directly confront internal financial corruption.

She pointed out that leadership contests have become commercialised, threatening the fundamental identity of the liberation movement, and said financial considerations are overriding political conviction and policy frameworks among voting delegates and that the reliance on cash distributions in internal lobbies is actively destroying the organisational integrity of the ANC.

"The influence of money in ANC elective conferences is common cause and has been spoken about openly by senior leaders and structures of the movement," Dlamini-Zuma said. "Our movement must find the courage to confront this problem as it is killing the ANC."

On Wednesday, Dlamini-Zuma issued a statement on social media to correct the record about Lamola.

This after Lamola issued a strong legal demand to her, instructing her to publicly retract the claims linking him to 2017 vote-buying allegations.

"Comrade Lamola has since advised me that the voice was not his. I withdraw the attribution on the basis of his clarification," she stated.

Lamola welcomed the move, noting that Dlamini-Zuma's statement vindicates what he has maintained from the outset.

Hill-Lewis urges Cachalia to engage on investigative powers for metro police

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has expressed concern over what he says is a lack of engagement by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia on the potential expansion of Cape Town Metro Police powers.

Despite Cachalia's recent indication that he has an "open mind" on the matter, the City of Cape Town reports a month of silence following the lodging of an intergovernmental dispute.

The city is seeking to amend the SAPS Act Amendment Bill currently before Parliament to allow Metro Police to investigate gang, gun, and drug-related crimes.

Hill-Lewis initiated an intergovernmental dispute last month. Under Section 42 of the Intergovernmental Framework Relations Act, both parties are required to meet "promptly" to establish a mediation process.

"It has been a month of silence despite the constitutional obligations to engage us promptly on our intergovernmental dispute," stated Hill-Lewis.

"Investigative powers for Metro Police are urgent for communities facing gang and drug crime. SAPS are under pressure and require the Metro Police's assistance to increase conviction rates."

The mayor has proposed new dates for an online meeting to chart a way forward, aiming to resolve the matter.

The disagreement follows Cachalia's remarks to the Parliamentary Police Portfolio Committee, where he suggested that "cross-party consensus" was a prerequisite for granting these powers.

Hill-Lewis characterised this stance as a delay in necessary leadership.

"The Minister has the authority to amend the SAPS Act Amendment Bill he has tabled. It is unclear what further consensus is required, and this appears to be a delay in taking practical action," the mayor said.

He referenced Section 205 of the Constitution, which provides for local government policing functions "where appropriate".

He asserts that Cape Town's Metro Police are resourced and ready to transition from a "catch and release" model to a "catch and convict" approach.

Safety and Security MMC Alderman JP Smith noted that expanding municipal policing powers is a tested strategy.

He cited the 2018 expansion of Municipal Peace Officer powers, which led to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP). Recently, LEAP officers confiscated four semi-automatic rifles during an arrest in Nyanga, highlighting their role in vulnerable areas.

"If we can reduce the flow of illegal firearms, we can decrease violent crime," said Smith.

"The city is already assisting through specialised units like the Safety and Security Investigation Unit and is prepared to do more."

Lamola welcomes Dlamini-Zuma's retraction of vote-buying claims

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has welcomed a formal retraction by ANC veteran Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, of allegations linking him to illicit voice notes and vote-buying during internal party elections.

The controversy erupted earlier this month following Dlamini-Zuma's appearance on the African Renaissance Podcast, hosted by former EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

During the episode, the former Minister levelled explosive allegations against high-ranking ANC officials, claiming that illicit financial influence heavily dictated internal election outcomes.

Specifically, Dlamini-Zuma accused Lamola and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula of participating in vote-buying during the ANC's fifty-fourth National Conference in 2017. She alleged that a circulating audio recording directly implicated Lamola in these transactional activities.

Furthermore, she went on to accuse Mbalula of openly "dishing out money" at a clinic facility during the fifty-fifth National Conference in 2022 to secure his position and protect Cyril Ramaphosa's presidency.

Following the broadcast, Lamola issued a strong legal demand to Dlamini-Zuma, instructing her to publicly retract the claims linking him to the 2017 vote-buying allegations.

Dlamini-Zuma issued a statement on social media to correct the record.

"Comrade Lamola has since advised me that the voice was not his. I withdraw the attribution on the basis of his clarification," she stated.

Lamola welcomed the move, noting that Dlamini-Zuma's statement vindicates what he has maintained from the outset.

"The voice note is not mine, and I was not involved in the conduct falsely attributed to me," Lamola said.

Despite the personal retraction, Dlamini-Zuma maintained that the core of her message remains vital. She explained that the broader concern she raised regarding the influence of money in leadership contests is an important matter that must be addressed for the renewal and integrity of the ANC.

Lamola echoed these sentiments, agreeing that the influence of money in political campaigns is a "legitimate and important" matter for public discussion.

However, he drew a strict line on accountability, adding, "That discussion must, however, proceed on accurate facts and without falsely implicating individuals."

Meanwhile, Mbalula has since announced that he is pursuing formal legal action against Dlamini-Zuma following the 2022 clinic distribution allegations.

Rejecting the claims entirely, Mbalula confirmed he will sue for defamation and will also refer the matter directly to the ANC Integrity Commission to formally clear his name.