JOHANNESBURG – Former Cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has withdrawn her claim that a voice note discussing alleged vote buying at the ANC’s 2017 elective conference belonged to International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola.
The retraction followed a public response from Lamola, who denied that the voice in the recording was his and called on Dlamini-Zuma to withdraw the allegation. While she has now withdrawn the attribution to Lamola, Dlamini-Zuma has said her wider concern about the influence of money in ANC leadership contests remains.
The development has drawn a clear line between two disputes involving senior ANC figures. Lamola’s objection centred on the voice note and the claim that he was connected to alleged vote buying in 2017. A separate allegation concerning ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and the party’s 2022 elective conference has not been withdrawn, with Mbalula saying he is pursuing legal action.
The allegations have not been tested in court. Lamola has denied any involvement in vote buying, while Mbalula has demanded that Dlamini-Zuma either retract or substantiate the separate claim against him.
Dlamini-Zuma made the original comments during an episode of the African Renaissance podcast hosted by former EFF chief whip Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. During the discussion, she referred to a recording and attributed a voice in it to Lamola. She also spoke about concerns over money and influence within ANC leadership contests.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Dlamini-Zuma said she had accepted Lamola’s clarification about the recording.
“During my participation in the African Renaissance Podcast, I attributed a voice note to comrade Ronald Lamola. Comrade Lamola has since advised that the voice was not his”.
She added: “I withdraw the attribution on the basis of this clarification.”
The former minister did not, however, withdraw the broader issue she raised about money in internal ANC contests.
“The broader concern I raised regarding the influence of money in leadership contests remains and important matter that must be addressed for the renewal and integrity of the African National Congress.”
Dlamini-Zuma was a candidate for the ANC presidency at the party’s 2017 elective conference. She lost to Cyril Ramaphosa in a close contest. Ramaphosa later became President after Jacob Zuma left office.
Her remarks about the 2017 conference triggered a firm response from Lamola, who served in several senior ANC structures before becoming minister of international relations and co-operation. In an open letter posted on X on 5 August, he said he was disappointed by the allegation but approached the issue with respect for Dlamini-Zuma’s history in the movement.
“I have noted with concern and disappointment the remarks you made recently on a podcast with Dr Ndlozi. You are a leader I have long held in high esteem throughout my years of activism in the African National Congress,” he wrote.
Lamola said the remarks sought to link him to alleged vote buying at the ANC’s 54th National Conference in 2017. He denied the claim in direct terms.
“Let me be unequivocal: I categorically deny any involvement in vote buying, whether through phone calls, voice notes or any other medium, during that conference or at any other time.”
He said his voice and manner of speech were distinctive and that people who knew him should be able to recognise that the voice in the disputed recording was not his.
“Furthermore, my voice and manner of speech are well known to many comrades, and any fair-minded person can clearly discern that the voice in question is not mine.”
Lamola urged Dlamini-Zuma to retract the claim and apologise. He said he wanted the issue addressed through the ANC’s own structures and traditions before it moved into a courtroom.
“I am approaching you in a comradely manner to retract the statement, as it would pain me to take legal action against an ANC veteran with distinguished struggle credentials.
“I believe our movement has internal mechanisms and a culture of comradely engagement that should be exhausted before legal routes are pursued. It is not in my nature to turn every political disagreement into a courtroom battle.”
He then invited Dlamini-Zuma to reconsider her comments and publicly correct the record.
“Nevertheless, I urge you, comrade, to reconsider the allegations you have made.
“I trust that you will do the honourable thing: publicly retract the statement and offer an apology, in the spirit of unity, discipline and respect that our movement demands.
“Let us conduct our organisational discourse with the dignity, honesty and revolutionary discipline that our people expect of us,” he concluded.
Dlamini-Zuma’s withdrawal now closes the dispute over the attribution of the voice note to Lamola, but it leaves the broader political argument she raised still open. In the podcast, she said: “Since then money has played a big role in the ANC.”
The former minister also made a separate allegation concerning Mbalula. She claimed he distributed money to delegates during the ANC’s 2022 elective conference. Mbalula has rejected the allegation and said his lawyers had written to Dlamini-Zuma demanding that she withdraw it or provide evidence.
Dlamini-Zuma’s latest statement did not mention Mbalula or the 2022 allegation. This means that the dispute between the two senior ANC leaders remains unresolved.
Mbalula has stated that he intends to take legal action if Dlamini-Zuma does not retract or substantiate the allegation. He has said the matter has caused serious reputational harm at a time when the ANC is preparing for local government elections.
“The failure to do so will go to court. It’s not a threat. That’s what I’m going to do.”
The split outcomes show how one claim has been withdrawn while another remains subject to a possible legal battle. Lamola received the retraction he had requested after identifying the voice note as incorrectly attributed to him. Mbalula, meanwhile, is still demanding a response to the allegation involving the 2022 conference.
The matter has returned attention to the high stakes of internal party contests and the damage caused when senior leaders publicly accuse one another of misconduct. Dlamini-Zuma continues to argue that money in leadership races is a serious matter for the ANC’s renewal and integrity, while Lamola and Mbalula maintain that allegations against them must be backed by evidence.
The next public response is expected to come from Lamola. Mbalula’s legal position will also remain closely watched as the dispute over the 2022 allegation moves forward.
