ANC bigwig Mandla Msibi’s suspension sticks

Mpumalanga ANC heavyweight Mandla Msibi was suspended from the party at a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting in Mbombela on Wednesday.

Msibi was the party’s provincial treasurer and former MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs. His three-year suspension came after he was linked to a botched mission to convince ANC members to boycott the party’s January 8 event held in Mbombela Stadium.

He appealed the ruling and the matter was heard on 16 July, but the leadership decided to uphold the suspension.

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ANC spokesperson Sasekani Manzini said: “The ANC in Mpumalanga convened a special PEC meeting to consider several political issues which included the filling of vacancies for executive mayors, the upcoming by-elections and to receive a report on the status of the disciplinary proceedings against the former provincial treasurer.

“The meeting also received a report on the disciplinary proceedings against the former provincial treasurer, who was suspended by the provincial disciplinary committee [PDC] on 9 April, but appealed the verdict with the national disciplinary committee [NDC] on 12 April.

“The NDC sat on 16 July and resolved to dismiss the appeal and uphold the verdict of the PDC.

“The verdict was three years’ suspension of membership with two of those years suspended, making his suspension of membership effectively a year.

“This verdict has implications for his status as a member of the provincial legislature and treasurer of the province.”

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Manzini said Msibi would be replaced by Life Monina, provincial chair of the Congress of SA Trade Unions, in the provincial legislature.

Sibongile Makushe was appointed to replace him as acting ANC provincial treasurer.

The fallout between Msibi and the party started in 2022 after he was suspended for being charged with murder following an incident in Mbombela in which two were shot dead.

The charges against him were later withdrawn and he was reinstated and deployed as MEC and the party’s provincial treasurer.

Msibi did not respond to requests to comment on the matter. Independent analyst Goodenough Mashego said Msibi’s dismissal would not benefit the party in the province.

“I don’t think upholding that earlier decision to suspend Msibi is going to benefit the ANC as this sounds more like a purge than a way to discipline a member of the party. I see him bouncing back in 2026.”