MIDRAND, South Africa – A top official in South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has voiced support for President Cyril Ramaphosa, despite the party’s poor performance in this week’s parliamentary election, asserting that he should remain the party leader and would not need to resign.
With just over 60% of votes counted, the ANC, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, is facing its worst election result in 30 years. The party’s vote share stands at just under 42%, putting it on course to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time.
Nomvula Mokonyane, the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC, told reporters at the election results center, “Nobody is going to resign. Collectively, all of us still are confident that he (Ramaphosa) has to remain the president of the ANC.”
She emphasized that challenges faced by the party should not be attributed to a single individual. “Hurdles that we come through do not have to be apportioned to an individual,” she added.
When asked whether the ANC had begun discussions with smaller parties about potential coalition possibilities, Mokonyane said the party’s leadership would meet to discuss the matter and consult internal party bodies. “For now, we are not talking to anybody,” she stated.
The ANC’s poor showing in the election has raised questions about the future of the party’s leadership and its ability to govern effectively. However, Mokonyane’s comments suggest that the ANC’s top brass remains committed to Ramaphosa’s leadership despite the setbacks.