{
  "id": 1631955,
  "title": "ANC saintly, but it’s cadres’ sin?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/anc-saintly-but-its-cadres-sin",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion/anc-saintly-but-its-cadres-sin/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The ANC, often portrayed as a saintly organization, appears to have fallen short of its members' expectations in terms of ethical conduct. However, it is the party's cadres that are to blame for their actions, according to the party's secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula. At a service at St John’s Apostolic Church in Katlehong, Mbalula sought forgiveness for the party's transgressions and asked that its members be forgiven for their mistakes. The party, he claimed, sends people to work for the people of South Africa, but when someone turns corrupt and steals from the public, they are to be held accountable. Despite this, Mbalula urged voters to continue supporting the ANC in upcoming local government elections. Churchgoers and voters must now question whether there is something inherent to the ANC's leadership that causes so many of its members to stray from moral integrity.",
  "summary": "ANC secretary general tells church to 'correct our transgressions', pray them as a clear message: if the organisation is not guilty, still vote for local government.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}