ANC Dismisses Cyril Ramaphosa Resignation Reports After Party's Worst-Ever Election Result

• African National Congress National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu addressed the media on 12 November 2026
• Bhengu discussed widespread reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa had been pressured to step down following the elections
• South Africans weighed in on Bhengu's comments about Ramaphosa, with many not surprised by the decision taken by the party

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG — The African National Congress has firmly rejected reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is under pressure to resign following the party's historically poor performance in the November 2026 local government elections.

ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu addressed journalists on 12 November 2026 on the sidelines of the party's extended special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg, dismissing media speculation as something South Africans should not take seriously.

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"The president is going nowhere. There is no pressure on the part of this leadership collective for the president to leave," Bhengu told reporters.

ANC's election decline triggers resignation talk

The speculation that Ramaphosa wanted to resign followed the ANC's sharp drop to roughly 31% of the vote in the November 2026 local government elections, down from 46% in 2021.

The result marked the party's worst-ever showing in a municipal poll, stripping it of majorities in key cities and forcing it into coalition negotiations.

Voter frustration over persistent service delivery failures, including water and electricity shortages, was widely cited as a driving factor.

Ramaphosa himself had earlier described resignation talk as "preposterous." Bhengu echoed that position, adding that any formal discussion about individual or collective NEC resignations would be deferred to a regular NEC meeting convened specifically to assess the election results.

How did South Africans react?

The announcement drew sharp responses on social media, with many users expressing scepticism about the party's direction.

@ngqandusd wrote:

"These people don't see that the clock is ticking against them for the next elections. For us, the citizens of this beautiful country, the ANC is irrelevant going forward. Their arrogance is their downfall."

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@Es_Gee18 said:

"Arrogance will take them nowhere. The decline will continue until the party ceases to exist."

@emanuelmashilo4 posted:

"This is good news. ANC will be a 20% party in 2029."

@SimphiweSimpra5 added:

"He is undermining the ANC, yet they continue to protect him."

@sztmas remarked:

"Who is surprised? There is no accountability in the ANC."

@Tshiamo_AA warned:

"Keep sacrificing the movement for the benefit of a few individuals, and eventually, the movement itself will disappear."

Ramaphosa warns that underperformers will be removed

Briefly News previously reported that Ramaphosa issued a stark warning to ANC councillors and mayors at a pre-election rally in Mdantsane.

Ramaphosa said the ANC wants accountable, capable and ethical leaders running municipalities across South Africa.

South Africans reacted sharply online to his comments, with many questioning why action was not taken sooner.

Source: Briefly News