‘Factionalism brought incompetent people to leadership’: Former insider explains ANC Joburg ‘collapse’

Masigo is now a mayoral candidate for the African Heart Congress (AHC). A former ANC leader in the City of Johannesburg says he left the party because it has lost direction. Sipho Masigo, an ANC member for more than 10 years and the party’s media specialist in the city, is now the mayoral candidate for the African Heart Congress (AHC). AHC is a small party that forms part of the ANC-led coalition in the City of Johannesburg. The Citizen spoke to Masigo on Thursday about why he left the ANC weeks before the local government elections. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map “I felt that I had done enough in my roles as a media specialist. Also, the infighting in Jozi was too much to deal with. After the ANC’s Regional Conference, many comrades who lost never healed. “The quality of leadership in Joburg has deteriorated. Weak people were elected and put into positions. Factionalism was the big factor in my decision to leave,” he said. Is the ANC dead in Joburg? He believes the ANC has reached the end of the road and does not see the party recovering lost support in Johannesburg. “Factionalism is what hurt the ANC the most. It put incompetent people in leadership roles, and the constant jostling for positions is at the root of the problems. “It was no longer about the residents of Johannesburg; it was about individuals and their factional interests. There is a complete disregard for oversight over the city. “The Auditor General has been on a yearly basis telling the city’s leadership that they are doing a poor job, that maladministration, fruitless, wasteful, unauthorised expenditure, and corruption are huge stumbling blocks to service delivery,” he said. Masigo believes that his former party is now turning into a rural party. “The ANC will survive in some rural towns, smaller provinces, but in Joburg it will get less than 25%,” he predicted. “Its only chance of survival will be through coalitions. In Joburg, this is the last time the ANC leads a coalition.” ANC respond The ANC’s regional secretary in Johannesburg, Sasa Manganye, denied many of Masigo’s claims, stressing that they should be understood in context. “Sipho Masigo is entitled to express his views and share his experiences. However, it is important that public commentary on political organisations and their internal affairs remains factual, fair, and grounded in verifiable information. “The ANC provided Sipho with an opportunity to contribute to its Communications team. That opportunity formed part of his engagement with the organisation, and his perspectives should be understood within the broader context of that experience. “Where concerns or differences arise, the most constructive approach is to engage on the specific issues, provide relevant context and allow for a fair consideration of the facts,” he said. Sipho Masigo. Picture: Supplied Mayoral ambitions Masigo says being a mayoral candidate for the AHC gives him a chance to make a meaningful contribution to the City of Johannesburg and its residents. “After several meetings, I was convinced and was ready to join an unknown party, a small organisation that has potential to speak to apathetic registered and eligible voters, youth and women in particular of all races,” he said.