ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says a court has made no finding that he distributed money to delegates to influence the outcome of the party’s 55th National Conference.
Mbalula was responding to an order issued on 2 October 2026 in his defamation case against former ANC president Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
He said the court dismissed Dlamini Zuma’s preliminary objections relating to non-joinder, the failure to exhaust internal remedies and alleged abuse of process.
According to Mbalula, the court has directed that oral evidence be heard to establish whether he distributed money to delegates during the ANC’s conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg, between 16 and 20 December 2022.
The evidence will also determine whether he used the alleged payments to influence the outcome of the leadership elections held at the conference.
Mbalula said that, should the factual dispute be resolved in his favour, the court would then consider the alleged damage to his reputation and whether Dlamini Zuma’s conduct warrants an order for a retraction and apology.
The court has limited the hearing to the issues identified in its order, according to Mbalula.
He said the judge had therefore not granted Dlamini Zuma’s request to have the matter dismissed outright.
Instead, the disputed allegations will be examined through oral evidence, including testimony relating to statements contained in the parties’ affidavits.
Mbalula welcomed the decision, saying it would allow the disputed facts and the truthfulness of statements made under oath to be properly tested before the court.
The matter is now being case-managed ahead of the hearing of oral evidence.
Mbalula stressed that the order should not be interpreted as a finding that the allegations against him are true.
He said the central factual dispute remains unresolved and will only be determined after witnesses have given evidence and been subjected to testing under oath.
“I have consistently maintained that the allegations are false and have nothing to hide,” Mbalula said.
He also sought to counter public commentary suggesting that the court’s decision had vindicated the allegations against him.
“The Court has made no finding that I distributed money to delegates, bought votes or otherwise corrupted the electoral process at the ANC’s 55th National Conference,” he said.
Mbalula said he would now allow the matter to be determined through the court process rather than engage in further public statements and political commentary.
“I will allow the evidence to be tested in court, where it belongs,” he said.