Jongizizwe Dlabathi resigns as ANC Ekurhuleni secretary again

Ekurhuleni finance MMC and ANC regional secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi has resigned from his party post for the second time this year.

Dlabathi previously stepped down as regional secretary in February, citing political tensions in the region. His resignation was subsequently overturned by the ANC provincial task team, allowing him to remain in the position.

In a letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula , Dlabathi said he had weighed his options of remaining a full-time regional secretary or pursuing other employment before deciding to relinquish the party position and remain in municipal government.

“Having applied my mind on the options to either remain full-time as a regional secretary or other employment, I thus wish to inform the secretary-general that I have opted to recuse myself from the full-time responsibility of regional secretary, thus opting to remain within my municipal responsibility,” he wrote.

Dlabathi said his decision was consistent with his position during the mayoral candidate interview process, where he indicated that he wanted to pursue a path focused on municipal governance.

Mbalula subsequently wrote to Dlabathi confirming that the ANC had accepted his resignation.

The secretary-general said the decision was in line with a resolution of the ANC’s national executive committee requiring all regional secretaries to serve in their positions on a full-time basis, as provided for in the party’s constitution.

The NEC communicated the directive in May, making it clear that there would be no exceptions.

“The directive of 29 May 2026 accordingly required every regional secretary holding employment elsewhere, within 30 days, either to resign from that employment or to resign as a regional secretary,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula thanked Dlabathi for his service to the ANC and the Ekurhuleni region before setting out the process for his replacement.

The Ekurhuleni regional executive committee must convene within seven days to formally process Dlabathi’s resignation and determine the way forward.

It must also designate an acting regional secretary from among the REC members who is available to perform the role on a full-time basis.

According to Mbalula, the acting regional secretary will remain in the position until the next Ekurhuleni regional conference.

Dlabathi’s resignation comes as the ANC tightens its enforcement of the full-time requirement for regional secretaries , putting pressure on office-bearers who hold both senior party and government responsibilities.