19.01.2026
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Mbeki calls on MKLWV to assist ANC in national security management.

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  • Former president Thabo Mbeki.

After years of struggle and divisions, the African National Congress’ (ANC) uMkhonto weSizwe Liberation War Veterans’ (MKLWV) have finally emerged with a new leadership elected at the inaugural conference held in Bloemfontein.

MKLWV national convenor Dan Hatto has been elected as the new chairperson of the veterans’ league.

Hatto and other members of the executive were elected unopposed. The new body is as a result of disbandment of uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) in June 2021. The decision was in part to resolve deep-seated factionalism and to unite the MKMVA with its rival structure, the MK National Council (MKNC).

Volunteers in the arms struggle to fight apartheid and now the ANC is paving the way for its veterans league, with their well being and welfare is a priority.

Addressing the members, former president Thabo Mbeki called on the new leadership of theMKLWV to ensure that the predictions by what he terms “counter-revolutionaries” that the ANC will cease to exist in the next coming five years, fail.

Mbeki called upon the league to assist the ANC on matters of national security management.

“You have a mayhem that happened in 2021. It was said that people were angry that the ANC had allowed the Constitutional Court to sentence Jacob Zuma and he was going to go to jail. That was a complete lie, it was the counter revolutionary testing its strength, to see if they can destabilize the country. It then acted, to cause that whole mayhem,” he says.

The former president also reminded the veterans of the reasons why they ended up being members of the league.

“We took up arms we volunteer to join uMkhonto weSizwe in order to liberate this country. To make sure that defeat the apartheid regime and make sure in the end that defeat reconstructs South Africa on the basis on national democratic revolution. That another important thing is the nature of this organisation,” he adds.

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe urged the newly constituted leadership and members of MKLWV to provide guidance and wisdom to the ANC.

Mantashe reminded the veterans league that they are the vangaurd of the party, as the people army. He also encourage members to criticise the party internally and reduce playing on the social media.

“Let us be clear: the start of this conference is not the end. It is just the beginning of a new chapter where veterans must be visible. They must be vocal, organised and be influential in every structure of the ANC. Let me confirm one of the things that I enjoy, is much work. I don’t come across many of you in townships and villages because some are angry, some are irritated and others think that something different should happen. Nothing is going to happen unless you are there. You are going to make things happen. You are going to be visible and you’re going to be vocal and you’ll say your thinking. Don’t whisper. Say it openly in an open meeting of the African National Congress,” he says.

The other top seven members include deputy chair Xolani Don, secretary-general Mcedisi Mthethwa, deputy secretary-general Mandilakhe Dilima, political commissar Thami Ntenteni, treasurer-general Thandi Mashwani and gender representative Tosca Tyibilika.

RELATED VIDEO | uMkhonto weSizwe War Veterans elects new leader
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkLd2RorOYE

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