Johannesburg – ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji says Thuthukile Zuma is free to leave the African National Congress (ANC) if she wishes, but has urged her to remain in the party and raise her concerns internally.
Thuthukile, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma and former minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, resigned from the ANC’s Johannesburg regional executive committee (REC) on Tuesday, citing what she described as victimisation and an intolerance of dissent.
Her departure followed the party’s move to initiate disciplinary proceedings against her over alleged failure to fulfil her duties as an REC member and social media posts criticising ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Speaking to the media in Johannesburg this week, Malatji said the party was no longer surprised by the ongoing tensions involving the Zuma family.
“We are used to it now. It’s not something that scares us anymore. We don’t know what’s next,” he said.
Malatji said joining and leaving the ANC were voluntary decisions, adding that Thuthukile had every democratic right to make her own choice.
He questioned, however, whether her decision to resign publicly was intended to attract sympathy.
UPDATE: The ANC in Johannesburg says Thuthukile Zuma jumped ship before she could be hauled over the coals for failing to attend meetings and for using her X account to attack Fikile Mbalula – KZN Tonight Podcast https://t.co/zu7OxcErFW
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) November 10, 2026
“Normally, when you resign, you send your letter to the secretary, but if you want to resign to South Africa and mobilise sympathy, you resign to the media,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Malatji described Thuthukile as one of the party’s strongest young women and said the ANC would be losing a valuable member if she left.
“It is unfortunate to lose a young woman like her. She is one of our strongest young women, brave and open about her views. Sometimes she borders on indiscipline, but she is a young person who expresses herself all the time,” he said.
He added that she should not join another political party but should instead bring her grievances to the ANC.
“She must not join other political parties. She must come forward and raise her issues in the movement and see if we can address them,” Malatji said.
Why Thuthukile resigned
In her resignation letter, Thuthukile accused the Johannesburg regional leadership of creating an environment in which members were unable to express opposing views.
She alleged that members were muted during online meetings and removed from the REC’s WhatsApp group for expressing opinions that differed from those of regional secretary Sasabona Manganye.
NEWS: Thuthukile Zuma has resigned as an REC member of the ANC in Johannesburg and among the reasons she cited was the inclusion of the DA in the GNU – KZN Tonight Podcast https://t.co/rAXJcyM0jR
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) November 10, 2026
She also rejected allegations of misconduct, arguing that her public criticism of Mbalula was a response to what she considered problems with the ANC’s handling of its councillor candidate lists ahead of the local government elections.
According to TimesLIVE, Thuthukile argued that the party had chosen to pursue disciplinary action against her instead of addressing the concerns she had raised.
The ANC Greater Johannesburg Region, however, said it had initiated an organisational process against her on 15 October, asking her to explain why she should not face disciplinary action.
According to IOL, the region cited her alleged failure to attend most regional meetings and fulfil her responsibilities, as well as alleged breaches of the party’s social media protocols.
The region said it had extended the deadline for her representations to 20 November before receiving her resignation letter on 10 November.
In her letter, Thuthukile also questioned whether her treatment was connected to her family ties, saying she wanted to be judged on her own political record rather than her relationship with her parents.
According to the Mail & Guardian, she maintained that her resignation should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing or a withdrawal of her commitment to the ANC.
She remains an ANC member and has resigned only from the Johannesburg regional executive committee.
Zuma family’s strained relationship with the ANC
Thuthukile’s resignation comes amid longstanding tensions between the ANC and members of the Zuma family.
Her father, Jacob Zuma, now leads the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which broke away from the ANC and contested the 2024 general elections.
The ANC has repeatedly criticised Zuma’s decision to lead a rival political organisation, while the MK Party has emerged as a major political competitor.
Her mother, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has also been involved in a legal dispute with Mbalula over allegations that he used money to secure his position at the ANC’s previous elective conference.
Mbalula has denied the allegations and is seeking a retraction and apology.
Thuthukile’s future in the ANC remains uncertain, although her resignation letter makes clear that she has not announced plans to join her father’s party.
The ANC Youth League has urged her to resolve her differences within the organisation.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
