ANC responds to plan to remove Cyril Ramaphosa

The ANC has made it clear that its leadership team, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, will serve its term until completion in 2027, despite speculation of his removal. 

To drive home this point, Ramaphosa dared his political opponents in the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to give him a date by which he should resign. 

The SABC reported that Ramaphosa said he would willingly resign as soon as tomorrow if he is asked by the ANC’s NEC. 

This follows intense speculation of attempts to remove Ramaphosa from his position in the party after the G20 Leaders Summit at the end of November. 

A letter is reportedly circulating among senior ANC members in the Eastern Cape that calls for the removal of the party’s president and the disbandment of the NEC. 

It called for a national task team to be set up, with former president Thabo Mbeki as the head to determine the future of the party. 

Ramaphosa’s closing comments at the ANC’s NEC meetings are typically televised. This time, however, his speech was closed to the media as he wanted to address the matter candidly. 

“As far as we are concerned, there is no departure lounge in the NEC. This NEC, with its president, was elected in December 2022 and our term ends in December 2027,” Acting ANC spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli told the SABC.  

“Our term will end with President Cyril Ramaphosa as the president of the ANC, where he will then be handing over.”

“There is no departure lounge, President Ramaphosa is the president of the ANC and his term ends in 2027 in the ANC and whatever other rumours we cannot speak for or verify for any other reason.”

Ramaphosa also reported called for lifestyle audits on all NEC members as part of his reflection on the current Madlanga commission of inquiry, saying the ANC cannot be run like a mafia. 

Sunday World first reported the plan to remove Ramaphosa as ANC President on Sunday, saying a letter calling for his removal was circulating among leaders in the Eastern Cape. 

ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala described the situation as a covert and divisive attempt to remove Ramaphosa from office.

Zikalala told Sunday World that the ANC Veterans League rejects any attempts to destabilise the government and that Ramaphosa should finish his term.

“We, as the league, are behind the president, and, as far as we are concerned, he must finish his term,” he said.

There is also speculation that Ramaphosa was preparing to step down after South Africa hands over the G20 presidency to the United States next month.

Zikalala stated that the South African President had not expressed any such intention and that the rumours originated from unnamed sources.