MKP Demands Cyril Ramaphosa Resign by End of Mandela Day, SA Amused As Party Threatens Court Action

• The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has given Cyril Ramaphosa another deadline to resign as president
• The party also took issue with decisions made by the president and approached the courts about them
• South Africans weighed in on the party's statement and joked about its views on the country's courts

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has once again called for Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.

The party originally gave the president until 9 am on 18 May 2025 to step down, saying he needed to do it in honour of Nelson Mandela.

With Ramaphosa failing to do so, the party has now given him a new deadline, calling on the president to resign by the end of Mandela Day.

What happens if Ramaphosa doesn’t resign?

During a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 18 July, the party’s National Spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, warned they would approach the Constitutional Court if the president didn’t resign. The march was in support of Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

“If he doesn’t meet the deadline of resigning, as a constitutional delinquent, we have no option but to take this matter on an urgent basis to the Constitutional Court,” he said.

“Secondly, we are going to have rolling mass action throughout the country as per the Constitution, and they will be peaceful. But we are going to demonstrate that we are not for this government. We are not for this President, that is a constitutional delinquent,” he added.

Ndhlela also threatened that the party will table a motion of no confidence against President Ramaphosa.

You can view his full statement below.

What else are the party unhappy with?

The party not only wants Ramaphosa gone; it also wants him to reverse some of the decisions. The party filed an urgent application with the Constitutional Court, challenging Ramaphosa’s decision to grant Senzo Mchunu a leave of absence. The party also wants his decisions to appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia as the acting Minister of Police and set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, to be declared irrational and invalid.

The party also warned that it would take action if anything happened to the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Mkhwanazi.

During its march to the Union Buildings, the MK Party stopped at the South African Police Service headquarters, where a list of demands was handed over to a representative for National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.

"We demand the immediate resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the immediate arrest of those implicated by KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and the immediate dismissal of Senzo Mchunu. This government is given 14 days to respond," MK Party National Organiser, Joe Ndlela, said.

How did South Africans react?

Social media users weighed in on the MK Party’s demands, with many saying it was funny that the party was approaching the same courts which they believed were captured.

Lebogang Madibo joked:

“I thought the courts were captured🤣.”

Monwabisi Chippa Njajula stated:

“Kodwa, they should have just approached the ConCourt because they already know Mr President won't resign. At least he won't be made to resign by them.”

Simanga Blessing Biyela asked:

“The very same court that was accused of being pro-Ramaphosa by the very same MKP?”

Wandile Stevovo Ndamoyi exclaimed:

“I thought you said 9 am, and now it's the rest of the day. Eish, what a waste of time and energy, bathong.”

Rerohle Lamola said:

“The same court that they believe is captured. But hey, Floyd Shivambu warned us about this group.”

Sibonelo Ichwane Leqili Dube added:

“Which Concourt? The so-called captured one?🤣”

Shockwave Anderson stated:

“The very same MKP must bring their Gupta friends back to face the courts. Then we will take it from there.”

MK Party protests in support of Mkhwanazi

Briefly News reported on 14 July that the MK Party organised a protest march to throw their weight behind Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

The MK Party's Gauteng branch said the march was a build-up to an expected nationwide shutdown that will take place soon.

The party came out in support of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner following his allegations of corruption within the police.

Source: Briefly News