Presidency Promises Response in 14 Days After Civil Groups Demand That Cyril Ramaphosa Resign
- StandUp SA and Enough Is Enough embarked on a march to the Union Buildings, demanding that Cyril Ramaphosa resign
- The Presidency received the list of demands and has since responded to the two civil society organisations
- The groups expressed unhappiness with the way Ramaphosa has been leading the country, noting how bad the situation is
- Khustaz Mtwentwe from StandUp SA spoke exclusively to Briefly News about their reasons for wanting Ramaphosa to step down
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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 Presidency has promised a reply within 14 days to two organisations calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
StandUp SA and Enough Is Enough embarked on a march to the Union Buildings, Pretoria, on Monday, 20 October 2025, calling for Ramaphosa to resign, saying that South Africa was on the brink of collapse.
Despite a poor turnout, the groups remain positive and are already discussing the way forward with other sectors if the Presidency does not respond favourably.
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Why do the civil society organisations want Ramaphosa to resign?
Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Khustaz Mtwentwe from StandUp SA said they wanted Ramaphosa to resign because he failed to lead South Africa to prosperity.
"Under his leadership, we see an increase in unemployment, an infiltration of security forces by organised crime cartels and corruption is also increasing, among other factors. Basically, on all KPIs, it’s red. He must go,” Mtwentwe said.
He added that Ramaphosa was an indecisive leader who only took action after Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations forced his hand. Mtwentwe also expressed frustration that the government was constantly borrowing money, saying that Ramaphosa needed to account for where the money went and what the terms and conditions of the loans were.
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The groups are not the only ones calling for Ramaphosa to resign. In July 2025, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party demanded that the president resign by Mandela Day. In August 2025, the party gave Ramaphosa a new deadline, demanding that he step down by 8 August 2025 or face legal action.
What are the next steps for the groups?
Mtwentwe confirmed that following the march to the Union Buildings, they received a response from the Presidency.
“I was shocked, to be honest. They ask a few questions, and they said they will respond within 14 days,” he noted.
Mtwentwe explained that the next step would be reaching out to other sectors of society, such as business, organised labour, and political parties, to file a Motion of No Confidence against the president.
“We won’t rest until he is out. We don’t want Paul Mashatile either. We want to give parliament a chance to correct this mistake by choosing a replacement amongst themselves, not necessarily from the African National Congress (ANC).
“The ANC has no majority, and it can not dictate anymore. So, they must show courage and step up to rescue this country. South Africa is on the brink of collapse,” he stated.
What are some of the groups’ demands?
In addition to calling for Ramaphosa to step down, the groups also made other demands. This includes Ramaphosa publishing information about the various loans South Africa had taken out, as well as removing State Security from his office, to allow it to be independent and outside of personal and political interference.
The groups also request that the president issue a directive that all government departments, and State-Owned Entities, including universities, prioritise the hiring of qualified South African citizens for scarce-skills positions before foreigners are considered.
You can view the full list of demands below.
uMkhonto weSizwe Party files Motion of No Confidence
Briefly News reported that the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party also wants Ramaphosa gone.
The party filed a Motion of No Confidence in July 2025, raising concerns about national security failures.
South Africans shared their thoughts on the party's plan, debating whether it would work or not.
Source: Briefly News
