By Khuthalani Curtis (KC) Mathoma, ANC Branch Secretary, Ward 3, Makhado Sub-Region
In any democratic organisation, particularly one with the history, scale and responsibility of the African National Congress, accuracy matters. Words matter. Processes matter. And responsible reporting matters.
It is for this reason that I find it necessary to clarify and correct a public record created by two recent articles published in the Limpopo Mirror, dated 23 and 30 January. Both articles, written by the same journalist, contain serious factual inaccuracies, procedural misunderstandings and misleading framing that risk confusing ANC members and the broader public about how leadership processes in our movement actually work.
Nomination is not the same as contestation
The first article, titled “KC Mathoma receives nomination as possible ANC PEC member”, opens by asserting that I have been “nominated to serve on the ANC Limpopo Provincial Executive Committee (PEC).” This statement is incorrect.
I have not been nominated to the PEC.
What has occurred, as is common across the organisation in the lead-up to elective conferences, is that my branch executive committee has expressed support and issued an endorsement for my availability to be considered during properly constituted Branch General Meetings convened for PEC nominations, in line with the ANC’s approved conference roadmap.
An endorsement by a branch executive committee is not a nomination, nor is it a declaration of candidacy. It is an internal expression of confidence and instruction to participate in democratic processes that are still unfolding at branch level. To conflate these steps is to fundamentally misunderstand, or misrepresent, ANC organisational procedure.
Had the journalist contacted me directly to verify this distinction, I would have clarified it without hesitation.
Sensationalising routine democratic processes
The opening paragraph of the first article frames normal, constitutional preparatory work for an elective conference as evidence that “tension is building” within ANC structures. This framing primes readers to interpret every legitimate organisational activity through the lens of factional conflict.
Branch discussions, endorsements and nominations are not signs of instability. They are the ordinary, healthy functions of internal democracy envisaged by the ANC Constitution and reinforced by the revised conference guidelines adopted by the NEC.
To sensationalise these processes is to mislead readers and diminish the credibility of grassroots participation.
The second article, “ANC members call for Mathoma’s suspension over ‘nomination’”, represents an even more troubling departure from factual and ethical reporting.
The headline itself is prejudicial. It suggests an official or collective ANC position calling for my suspension. Yet the article relies on vague references to “some ANC members”, none of whom are named, quoted on record, or shown to speak on behalf of any legitimate structure.
I never claimed to be nominated
The article further alleges that I “claimed to have been nominated.” This is false.
I have consistently stated, publicly and privately, that I have been endorsed by my branch executive committee and that nominations are the responsibility of Branch General Meetings, convened within the officially gazetted period of 20 January to 28 February 2026, not on the incorrect dates cited in the article.
The article itself later concedes this point, yet fails to correct the damaging implication it creates. This internal contradiction is left unresolved, leaving readers with a false impression of misconduct where none exists.
Anonymous sourcing and factional briefing
Both articles rely heavily on unnamed sources “speaking off the record”. This is particularly concerning in the context of internal party processes, where anonymous allegations can easily be used to advance factional agendas under the guise of news reporting.
Journalistic balance requires that such claims be tested against documented rules, official positions and on-the-record responses. None of this was done.
I am not campaigning through the media. I am not self-appointing. I am not demanding leadership positions.
If branches of the ANC in Limpopo, through properly constituted meetings, decide to nominate me, I will accept that responsibility with humility and discipline. If they do not, I will continue to serve the organisation where I am deployed.
That is how the ANC works. That is how it has always worked.
A call for accuracy and responsibility
The ANC is governed by rules, not rumours. By processes, not perceptions. By collective decisions, not anonymous briefings.
Public debate about leadership must be grounded in fact, procedural clarity and fairness. Anything less does a disservice not only to individuals, but to the movement itself.
Setting the record straight is not an act of defiance. It is an act of organisational responsibility.
Khuthalani Curtis (KC) Mathoma writes in his personal capacity as an ANC member and branch secretary.
(Dear Mr Mathoma. Thanks for your response (which we slightly shortened due to a lack of space). It definitely assists in the understanding of the processes. Journalists, like politicians, should never be beyond reproach, and criticism such as yours is welcomed. Our only response would be to show the message that was sent to the media by yourself, which we believe caused much of the confusion. Perhaps ANC members should be more cognisant of the fact that such public revelations could lead to misunderstanding, and subsequently incorrect reporting. - Editor)