Ramaphosa Reportedly Offers to Resign as ANC President Following Election Setback

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly indicated that he is willing to step down as president of the African National Congress (ANC) following the party’s disappointing performance in the 2026 Local Government Elections.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, several members of the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) revealed that Ramaphosa raised the possibility of resigning during internal discussions about the party’s poor electoral results.

The report suggests that Ramaphosa believes the ANC’s leadership should take responsibility for the continued decline in public support, particularly after the party suffered disappointing outcomes in two consecutive elections.

During the discussions, he reportedly proposed that all seven members of the ANC’s top leadership, commonly referred to as the Top Seven, consider stepping aside to give the organisation an opportunity to address its leadership challenges and rebuild public confidence.

Ramaphosa allegedly went further by indicating that he was prepared to resign individually if other members of the party’s senior leadership were unwilling to support the proposal.

However, ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile and several other senior party figures reportedly opposed the suggestion.

An early elective conference was subsequently discussed as a possible alternative for resolving the ANC’s internal leadership challenges and determining the future direction of the organisation.

Despite the reports, Ramaphosa has not officially announced his resignation as ANC president. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri reportedly indicated that she was unaware of the discussions.

It is also important to clarify that the reported resignation proposal concerns Ramaphosa’s position as leader of the ANC, not his role as President of the Republic of South Africa.

The developments come at a difficult time for the governing party, which is facing growing pressure to explain its declining electoral support and restore confidence among South African voters.

https://x.com/MzansiFarmer/status/2119306018777694345

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