Tensions within the African National Congress (ANC) in the North West have escalated following the circulation of a video showing Deputy Provincial Secretary Viola Motsumi publicly confronting Provincial Secretary Louis Diremelo. In the footage, which began circulating on 5 August 2026, Motsumi accuses Diremelo of working to undermine the provincial executive committee (PEC) and seeking to have the body dissolved by the national leadership.
Internal Conflict Over Candidate Selection
The confrontation is rooted in a dispute over the candidate nomination process for the upcoming local government elections, specifically within the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati (RSM) region. Diremelo had previously ordered a re-run of the nomination process, citing allegations that the original branch meetings were held in violation of the party’s constitutional requirements.
This follows an earlier intervention by Luthuli House in May 2026, which nullified the results of the RSM regional conference due to widespread allegations of rigging. The provincial leadership confirmed that the Provincial Disputes Resolution Committee has already processed nearly 200 disputes related to candidate selection since July 2026.
Broader Political Implications And Stability
The public nature of the disagreement reflects ongoing instability in the North West ANC, which has struggled with persistent factionalism and administrative challenges for several years. Observers note that the friction is exacerbated by the looming November 2026 local government elections and deep-seated grievances among members regarding the alleged imposition of candidates and the bypassing of local branches.
“We are saying, if they want to kill or destroy the ANC, its fine. We are going to help them destroy the ANC on the 4th of November,” stated a group of dissatisfied members in a broadcast by SABC News.
The party’s national leadership is expected to face mounting pressure to intervene as concerns grow that these internal divisions may weaken the ANC’s performance at the polls later this year.