ANC provincial chairperson claims disciplinary processes are being used to silence his criticism
The ANC’s provincial chairperson in the North West and Ditsobotla mayor, Molefe Morutse, has launched a stinging attack on the party’s provincial leadership, claiming it was weaponising disciplinary processes to silence dissent linked to the hotly disputed Dr Kenneth Kaunda regional conference.
In explosive papers filed before the North West ANC Provincial Disciplinary Committee (PDC), he is seeking to halt disciplinary proceedings against him pending intervention by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and national leaders.
Tensions exposed during ANC regional conference
Morutse claims the disciplinary action against him stems directly from complaints he lodged over alleged “procedural violations and organisational irregularities” during the March 2026 regional conference in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.
The conference has become the latest flashpoint exposing deep factional tensions within the ANC in the North West.
In his application, Morutse argues that the ANC’s national office is already seized with the matter after he submitted a detailed report to the secretary-general’s office on 15 March.
The report alleges widespread irregularities, including disputes over branch verification processes, exclusion of PEC deployees from conference structures, flawed accreditation systems and the violent removal of delegates.
‘Pure mob gangsterism’
Morutse further alleges he was physically assaulted and forcibly removed from the conference venue by “armed muscular men wearing balaclavas”.
He claims the men were allegedly instructed by senior provincial leaders to eject him after he attempted to raise concerns about the legitimacy of conference processes.
“The manifestation is a definition of pure mob gangsterism and a criminal hijack of the ANC by an organised clique within the ANC for its own nefarious ends,” Morutse states in the complaint.
According to papers filed before the committee, Mbalula’s office invited Morutse, North West provincial secretary Louis Diremelo and several ANC NEC deployees to a meeting at Luthuli House on 26 March to discuss the complaints.
Morutse’s suspension
Morutse argues that because the secretary-general’s office was already handling the dispute, the North West provincial leadership lacked jurisdiction to institute disciplinary action against him.
He accuses Diremelo of failing to disclose the national intervention meeting when the provincial working committee resolved to suspend him.
The disciplinary saga escalated after Morutse was temporarily suspended by the ANC North West PWC on 31 March over his conduct during the conference.
However, the ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal (NDCA) later ruled that the suspension automatically lapsed after the province failed to formally charge him within 30 days.
In the ruling, NDCA chairperson Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi warned that suspending Morutse again on the same grounds may constitute an abuse of the process or the constitution.
Morutse has now argued that continuing disciplinary proceedings against him would amount to political persecution.
The documents further reveal that unresolved disputes from branches in Matlosana, Maquassi Hills and JB Marks were still pending when the regional conference proceeded.
A Provincial Dispute Resolution Committee report attached to the filing confirms several branch disputes remained unresolved.
Morutse also claims NEC deployees interfered with the handling of disputes during the conference process.
He insists the charges against him were defective, politically motivated and designed to suppress internal criticism.
Advocate Vuyo Peach, chairperson of the PDC, confirmed the complaint and said he has postponed the case to 1 June 2026 for oral submissions.
Diremelo had not replied to questions at the time of publishing.
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