ANC statement on matters conerning FNB and membereship process

2 March 2017

The African National Congress (ANC)  has noted media reports according to which First National Bank (FNB) is investigating issues pertaining to ANC Member of Parliament (MP) Comrade Brian Molefe’s membership of the ANC. The ANC is neither aware of any such investigation nor has it requested it. Since 2016, following reports of our structures, the ANC has been engaged in an ongoing process to strengthen the integrity of our membership system working together with FNB as our bankers, and dealing with complaints and disputes as they arise. This has been a collaborative process focused throughout the country, and not on any one individual, with regular interaction between the ANC and the bank on these matters. The ANC will be meeting with the FNB as part of this ongoing process and will seek gain clarity on the unfortunate public commentary in relation to its account with the bank and one of our members. 

The ANC initiated the process to identify and rectify weaknesses in the membership system as part of the preparations towards the National Policy Conference and the 54th National Conference to be held in June and December of this year respectively. This process is being undertaken as a matter of general application without regard to any single individual or case but rather with the intention to improve the ANC’s overall management of our membership process. Any efforts to subvert ANC policies, including the collaboration in fraudulent activity relating to collection and reporting on membership fees, are identified, loopholes closed and stringent measures put in place to safeguard the validity of our process.

Issued by Zizi Kodwa, National Spokesperson, ANC, 2 March 2017