{
  "id": 7552213,
  "title": "No proof Mbalula bought votes, lawyers argue",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/no-proof-mbalula-bought-votes-lawyers-argue",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T12:26:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SABC News",
    "slug": "sabc-news",
    "url": "https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/no-proof-mbalula-bought-votes-anc-lawyers-argue/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lawyers for the African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, argue that Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a member of the ANC National Executive Council (NEC), lacks concrete evidence to support her claims that Mbalula allegedly paid delegates to secure his position. In a recent podcast episode, Dlamini-Zuma alleged that Mbalula bribed ANC delegates during the ANC's 55th National Conference. The matter is now being heard in the High Court of Johannesburg following Mbalula's urgent application for defamation. Mbalula's legal representative, Advocate Smanga Sethene, maintains that there is no evidence presented by Dr. NDZ to back up her allegation. \"Now there is no iota of evidence presented by Dr. NDZ to prove that allegation that she made as a statement of facts. Now there ought to be a prima facie evidence wrongfulness on the part of Mr. Mbalula for you to succeed for this application to be dismissed.\" Mbalula is taking legal action against ANC NEC member Dlamini-Zuma.",
  "summary": "Advocate Smanga Sethene says Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has no evidence to back up her claims.",
  "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."
}