ANC says AfriForum is harassing and obsessed with Fikile Mbalula

The African National Congress (ANC) says it is not aware of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision to prosecute its secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, over comments he made about former Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse as announced by AfriForum.

The lobby group announced earlier this week that the NPA had decided to prosecute Mbalula for crimen injuria over comments in which he allegedly labelled Pieterse a rapist. The NPA has confirmed that Mbalula will face prosecution following representations by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.

ANC RESPONDS TO AFRIFORUM’S PROSECUTION OF FIKILE MBALULA

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said it was “peculiar, irregular and potentially corrupt” that AfriForum was the first organisation to announce a decision by a state institution responsible for aspects of the criminal justice system.

Bhengu said the media statement AfriForum relied on was an official ANC statement delivered by Mbalula in his capacity as secretary-general.

“It was prepared by the ANC and presented by the secretary-general on its behalf, reporting deliberations of the National Executive Committee on gender-based violence and femicide. It named no person as a suspect. If that statement is to be answered for, it is answered for by the ANC and AfriForum knows this very well,” Bhengu said.

“The ANC media statement followed the public identification of a suspect by the Minister of Police and SAPS. When the Minister publicly acknowledged that the identification was incorrect, the movement acknowledged that correction publicly, through its national spokesperson, and restated its support for the child victim and her family.”

The Bergview College matter stems from allegations that a child was raped at the school in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, in 2024. The NPA previously declined to prosecute the former principal, citing insufficient evidence of rape or sexual assault.

‘A RACIST ORGANISATION’

Bhengu also accused AfriForum of being “a racist organisation” and said the lobby group had made a political project of attacking the ANC and opposing transformation in South Africa.

“It peddles lies to deepen division, then wraps its campaigns in the language of justice. Justice that for years they actively denied black people under apartheid,” she said.

AfriForum has rejected the ANC’s characterisation and said its action is aimed at ensuring that Mbalula faces legal consequences for his comments. Its Private Prosecution Unit has also pursued a separate crimen injuria case against Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema over comments concerning Pieterse.