Breaking News: Ramaphosa Ready To Step Down As ANC President After Shock Election Results

Ramaphosa Reportedly Offers To Resign As ANC President After Crushing Election Defeat Rocks Party

South African politics has been thrown into fresh uncertainty following reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has raised the possibility of stepping down as African National Congress (ANC) president after the party suffered another disappointing performance in the 2026 Local Government Elections.

According to a report published by the Sunday Times on Sunday, 8 November 2026, several senior ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) members claimed that Ramaphosa had discussed the possibility of resigning from his position as party leader.

The reported development comes after the governing party experienced significant electoral setbacks in the 4 November local government elections, raising serious questions about its leadership, public support and ability to rebuild its political influence.

For decades, the ANC dominated South African politics. However, its electoral support has steadily declined, with voters increasingly expressing dissatisfaction over issues including unemployment, poor service delivery, corruption and the state of local municipalities.

The Sunday Times report suggests that Ramaphosa believes the party cannot continue without senior leaders taking responsibility for its declining electoral performance.

According to unnamed NEC sources, the president reportedly suggested that the ANC’s top seven officials should consider resigning collectively following two consecutive major election setbacks.

The report further claims that Ramaphosa indicated he would be prepared to step down individually if the other senior officials were unwilling to support a collective resignation.

Although the reported proposal has attracted considerable attention, it is important to emphasise that no formal resignation has been announced.

The reports indicate that ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile and other senior party figures were not in favour of Ramaphosa immediately leaving his position.

Instead, some leaders reportedly encouraged him to reflect on the situation and consider other ways of addressing the party’s political challenges.

An early ANC elective conference was also reportedly discussed as a possible alternative, potentially allowing the organisation to elect new leadership before its originally anticipated timetable.

Such a conference could become an important moment for the ANC as different factions consider the party’s future direction and leadership arrangements.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu reportedly told the Sunday Times that she was not aware of any such discussion among national officials.

This response means the reported resignation proposal has not been officially confirmed by the party.

Meanwhile, the ANC has acknowledged its disappointing election performance and indicated that it intends to rebuild its structures from branch level.

The party has also promised accountability and announced plans for a special NEC meeting to assess the results and consider the way forward.

Another important distinction is that the reports concern Ramaphosa’s position as ANC president, not his constitutional position as President of the Republic of South Africa.

Stepping down as ANC leader would not automatically mean that he has resigned from the country’s presidency.

However, such a development could create significant political uncertainty, particularly because the ANC remains a central participant in the Government of National Unity.

For now, South Africans will be watching closely to see how the ANC responds to its latest electoral setback and whether Ramaphosa will remain at the helm of the organisation.

Source; https://x.com/MzansiFarmer/status/2119306018777694345/photo/1?a=32UbFmInome_5S4Yol8&s=19

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