ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has firmly rejected claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa has been asked to step aside following the conclusion of the G20 Summit. According to Mbalula, the reports suggesting that Ramaphosa’s departure was discussed at last weekend’s ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting are nothing more than unfounded rumours designed to sow division within the governing party.
Speaking during a post-NEC media briefing on Tuesday, Fikile Mbalula emphasised that the issue of Ramaphosa stepping down was never part of the official agenda and had no place in the NEC discussions. He labelled the circulating claims as deliberate fabrications meant to destabilise the ANC and create an impression of internal disarray.
Despite dismissing the rumours, Mbalula did acknowledge that factions within the ANC continue to harbour ambitions of removing Ramaphosa before the party’s elective congress in 2027. These ambitions, he said, are not new and have been pursued by individuals determined to undermine the party’s unity.
According to Fikile Mbalula, certain members within the organisation are actively attempting to manipulate ANC structures to ignite momentum for Ramaphosa’s removal. However, he noted that these efforts have repeatedly failed because they lack both legitimacy and broad support within the party.
“There are people who have got such intentions and are trying to get it going in our structures, and thus far, that has failed,” Mbalula said. He criticised those leaking sensitive or misleading information to the media, arguing that they hope to weaponise public narratives to advance their internal political agendas.
Mbalula further revealed that President Ramaphosa personally addressed the NEC regarding the ongoing attempts to weaken his leadership. According to Fikile Mbalula, Ramaphosa told the gathering that he remains unfazed by the rumours and the orchestrated efforts behind them. Ramaphosa made it clear that he is prepared for any eventuality and is not intimidated by plots that aim to undermine his authority.
Mbalula reiterated that Ramaphosa’s leadership remains supported by the ANC’s elected structures. He stressed that those spreading rumours of the president’s forced exit are motivated by factional battles, not organisational principles.
Fikile Mbalula Reaffirms ANC Confidence in Ramaphosa
Despite the growing public speculation about Ramaphosa’s political future, Fikile Mbalula insisted that the ANC is satisfied with the president’s performance. He reminded critics that Ramaphosa was not elected by the media, opposition parties, or individuals with hidden agendas, but by the democratic will of ANC members during the party’s national conference.
“But he will not go because he was elected by members of the ANC, not by rumour mongers,” Mbalula said. He condemned those “peddling negativity” and attempting to fracture the organisation from within. According to him, the ANC must protect its cohesion, and that includes defending its elected leadership from unfounded allegations.
Mbalula stressed that the party cannot allow misinformation to derail its focus, especially at a time when it faces significant political competition and a decline in electoral support. Rather than obsessing over leadership contests, he said, the ANC must concentrate on rebuilding public trust and strengthening its organisational machinery.
Looking ahead, Fikile Mbalula emphasised that the upcoming National General Council (NGC) scheduled for December is not intended to be a platform to challenge Ramaphosa’s leadership. Instead, the focus will be on evaluating the ANC’s strategic direction, implementing resolutions from the last conference, and crafting a comprehensive plan to regain the political majority it lost in recent elections.
Mbalula said that the NGC is meant to be a working session rather than a battleground for factional rivalry. With the ANC facing unprecedented political pressure nationally, he argued that the organisation must unite behind strategies that address governance failures, economic hardships, and service-delivery challenges — issues most important to South Africans.
According to Fikile Mbalula, the party’s priority is to chart a course that restores confidence among voters, consolidates internal unity, and prepares the ANC for the 2027 elective conference and the next general elections. He stressed that leadership distractions are exactly what opposition parties want, and ANC members must resist falling into that trap.
Source- EWN
