Ramaphosa Dares ANC Critics: Stop Plotting In Dark Corners, Ask Me To Resign Openly
South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has challenged his critics within the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) to openly state when they want him to resign, reported SABC News.
Delivering a fiery political overview to the NEC, Ramaphosa said his detractors should stop plotting “in dark corners like cowards” and tell him directly if they want him to step down.
Ramaphosa added that he would resign “even tomorrow” if the NEC formally asked him to do so.
His remarks follow media reports claiming he plans to resign after the G20 summit.
Ramaphosa also reflected on the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. He called for lifestyle audits for all NEC members and insisted the ANC must not be run “mafia-style”.
The Madlanga Commission, established in July 2025 and chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, is investigating allegations of corruption, political interference, and criminal activity within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
It is also probing claims by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that politicians, senior police officers, and criminal networks have been working together.
If Ramaphosa completes his current second term, he will become South Africa’s first president to serve two full terms.
None of his predecessors did so: Nelson Mandela retired after one term, Kgalema Motlanthe served only nine months as caretaker president, and both Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were recalled by the ANC before finishing their second terms.
