ANC supporters at the January 8th Statement at Moruleng Stadium in Rustenburg, North West on 10 January 2026. Picture: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo It is quite ironic that the ANC’ annual January 8th celebration was held in the North West, the province which gave the country one Brown Mogotsi. Mogotsi became a known figure in SA politics following the explosive 6 July press conference held by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The controversial North West businessman was painted as a behind-the-scenes “fixer” who had access to suspended minister of police Senzo Mchunu, highly-placed political figures like ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. When the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry was set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe Mkhwanazi’s allegations of criminal and political interference in the police and judiciary, Mogotsi emerged as one who would “tell all”. His appearance at the commission was a cringe fest that ended up with him admitting to commission head justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga he had no option but to lie under oath.
One of the main allegations put to him was that he had sourced money from Matlala for flights and accommodation to a January 8th celebration in Cape Town for eight individuals. While the January 8th annual celebration by the ANC has always been intended to commemorate the party’s birthday, it has, over the years that the ANC has been in power, evolved into a crass display of materialism by mostly its leadership. None other than Mbalula used a luxury yacht to reach Robben Island during the celebration a year ago.
Read Full Article on The Citizen
[paywall]
Although the celebration itself had been riddled with alleged bad planning, including failure to book a stadium on time, some of the ANC leadership still felt entitled to show off the kind of luxurious lifestyle that being in power afforded them. So it was no surprise that an information pedlar from the North West, Mogotsi, could hustle the likes of Matlala for hundreds of thousands of rands to spend on being part of the January 8th celebrations. The tone to spend big or go home had been set from the leadership of the organisation over many years.
[/paywall]
