Fikile Mbalula Collapses After ANC’s Court Victory Over Election Candidates
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula collapsed during a media briefing on Thursday, shortly after the party secured a Constitutional Court ruling allowing 181 of its candidates to contest the November local government elections.
Mbalula reportedly became emotional while addressing the media following the judgment
Bhengu Takes Over Briefing After Collapse
According to ENCA, Fikile Mbalula was visibly sweating when he indicated that he was unwell before collapsing. ANC members and officials assisted him.
Journalists were asked to switch off their cameras as the incident unfolded.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu stepped in to take over, assuring reporters that Mbalula was receiving medical attention and was expected to recover.
She also appeared to link the incident to the strain surrounding the candidate-list dispute, pointing to the emotions Mbalula had displayed before his collapse.
Constitutional Court Ruling Brings Relief to ANC
The collapse came after the Constitutional Court overturned a decision that had left 181 ANC candidates excluded from the ballot in six municipalities.
The party had challenged the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) decision to leave the candidates off the lists for the November 4 local government elections.
ANC members who attended the court proceedings celebrated the outcome, which cleared the way for the affected candidates to be included in the polls.
Mbalula Breaks Down While Thanking ANC Leadership
In remarks following the ruling, Mbalula appeared to struggle to contain his emotions as he acknowledged those who had stood by him during the dispute over the party’s candidate lists.
He specifically thanked ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa for his leadership during what he described as a difficult month, and for insisting that the party pursue lawful avenues throughout the dispute.
“I thank the President of the ANC for his leadership through a hard month and for insisting that, at every turn, theANCthe ANC take the lawful roads and no other.”
The candidate-list controversy had placed pressure on the party as it sought to resolve the exclusions ahead of the elections.