ANC leagues back Ramaphosa amid resignation speculation

The ANC Women's League, the Veterans' League, and the Youth League have all rallied behind President Cyril Ramaphosa amid reports of his impending removal as leader of the party.

Over the weekend, three leagues issued separate statements declaring their support for Ramaphosa's continued stay at the helm of the party.

The new calls for Ramaphosa's ousting have gained traction in the party, with some disgruntled party members rallying for Ramaphosa's removal just weeks after he challenged his detractors at an ANC gathering, to give him a date to resign or stop talking in secret corners.

In a strongly worded statement at the weekend, the women's league said: "The ANC Women's League is outraged at the alleged plot by some ANC National Executive Committee members, who want to see the President removed from office, probably in the next NEC meeting to be convened on Monday.

"The ANC Women's League would like to deposit its full support and confidence together with all our structures in the leadership of the President, both at Luthuli House and in the Union Buildings as leader of the Government of National Unity (GNU)."

Meanwhile, the Youth League, through its secretary general Mtuwoxolo Ngudle, strongly condemned talks of Ramaphosa's removal, saying these claims are baseless.

"We reject with contempt the baseless claims that there are plans to recall President Cyril Ramaphosa. These fabrications seek to weaken and derail the ANC precisely as we approach the 5th National General Council (NGC), where the organisation will rigorously assess progress, refine our strategy and tactics to develop solutions to confront the socio-economic challenge in our nation, Ngudle reaffirmed.

They dared gossip mongers to come forward.

"We will not allow detractors, gossip mongers, or shadowy wedge drivers to weaponise lies against the movement. To those who hide behind anonymous briefings and factional whisper campaigns about so-called recalls, come forward."

On Saturday, Veterans League leader Snuki Zikalala said that the current ANC NEC, elected in 2022, still enjoys the support of the veterans' league. He said talks of new leadership should be reserved until the next national conference of the ANC in 2027.

The Veterans' League said there were 'dark forces within and outside the ANC challenging the competency of President Ramaphosa and undermining the ANC'.

"The NEC discussed several practical yet far-reaching proposals to renew the ANC regarding the roles and responsibilities of ANC members, ethical leadership, and electoral reform, which it intends to propose at NGC.

"This is because the veterans' league believes, as the President said in his political report, that this is not the time for foolhardy measures but for a path to change through democratic processes and the use of the ANC's constitutional structures."

Political commentator Thobani Zikalala said despite Ramaphosa's total control of the ANC, the succession debate is an inevitable part of internal politics.

"In political parties such as the ANC, there are going to be agendas and plots. Whether or not they should be given credibility, they will always be there. This is precisely because the current president is in his second term. Every time a leader enters such a term, there are succession talks, and therefore, there will be plots to create the possibility of a replacement, " he said.

On Ramaphosa's strong grip on the ANC, Zikalala said, unlike in the Thabo Mbeki and the Jacob Zuma presidencies, the ANC has no visible factions outside those who are secretly calling for Ramaphosa's removal.

He described Ramaphosa as having full control of the party.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za