Internal ANC Turmoil: Ramaphosa Defies Calls to Resign
In a dramatic show of defiance, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged his internal party critics to openly demand his resignation, while key ANC structures rally behind his leadership amid rumours of a plot to oust him.
Following a tense meeting of the African National Congress’s (ANC) national leadership this past weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa has firmly pushed back against rumours and lobbying efforts aimed at forcing his early resignation .
A Direct Challenge to Critics
The political turmoil within the ruling party became public after Ramaphosa delivered a heated political overview report to the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC). In a bold move, he directly dared his detractors to stop discussing his exit “in dark corners like cowards” and to confront him openly .
A source present at the meeting reported that Ramaphosa declared, “if he is asked to resign, he would even do it tomorrow” . This confrontation comes in the wake of media reports speculating that he was planning to step down after the upcoming G20 summit . Reflecting on the current Madlanga commission of inquiry, the president also called for lifestyle audits on all NEC members, stating that the ANC “must never be run mafia style” .
The Source of the Unrest
The rumours of Ramaphosa’s imminent departure appear to be fueled by a factional manoeuvre within the party. A letter has been circulating among senior ANC members, primarily in the Eastern Cape, calling for the president’s removal, the dissolution of the NEC, and its replacement with a national task team led by former president Thabo Mbeki .
This proposal aligns with broader internal unease. As one ANC activist in KwaZulu-Natal noted, “There is a lot of unhappiness with the president here… But we are waiting to remove him from power at the correct time when there is a conference” . The lobbying is intensifying ahead of the party’s national general council in December, where contenders for the 2027 leadership race are expected to begin testing their support .
United Front in Support of Ramaphosa
In response to the covert campaign, the party’s official structures and veterans have closed ranks to support Ramaphosa.
· Official ANC Stance: Acting ANC spokesperson, Nonceba Mhlauli, unequivocally dismissed the rumours, asserting that “there is no departure lounge in the NEC.” She confirmed that the current committee, elected in December 2022, would serve its full term until December 2027 with Ramaphosa at the helm .
· ANC Veterans League: ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala strongly condemned what he described as a “covert and divisive attempt” to destabilize the party . He stated, “We, as the league, are behind the president, and, as far as we are concerned, he must finish his term” . He warned that such divisive activities could spell the end of the ANC .
· ANC Youth League: During the NEC meeting, a member of the ANC Youth League stood up to assert that the president would remain in office until after the elections, effectively warning that anyone seeking to remove him would “first have to go through the Youth League” .
A Historical Pattern and Future Battles
South Africa’s political landscape has seen no president complete two full terms since the dawn of democracy, with both Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma being recalled by the party before their terms ended . The current tensions highlight the early succession battles already underway for the ANC’s 2027 elective conference .
Despite the internal friction, the public message from the ANC is one of unity and stability. As the party prepares for the upcoming National General Council, all official signals indicate that Cyril Ramaphosa intends to remain in charge, challenging his internal opponents to either confront him directly or fall in line.
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