Is Ramaphosa resigning? What we know after the ANC's 30.8% result

No. As of Sunday afternoon, 8 November, Cyril Ramaphosa has not resigned as ANC president or as President of South Africa, and neither he nor the ANC has announced that he will.

What has happened is that the Sunday Times reported that Ramaphosa raised the idea of stepping down as ANC leader in a meeting of the party's top officials after its poor local election results. The paper based this on at least five members of the ANC's national executive committee (NEC), none of them named.

What did the Sunday Times report?

According to those NEC members, Ramaphosa argued that the ANC had now lost two elections under him and the party's top officials, and that there had to be consequences. One said he told the officials that if they would not all step down with him, he could resign alone (Sunday Times).

The paper reported that deputy president Paul Mashatile and second deputy secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa pushed back. Mashatile reportedly urged the officials to reflect rather than act emotionally, and Ramokgopa reportedly suggested an early national conference, possibly in April (Sunday Times).

What does the ANC say?

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu told the Sunday Times she was "not aware of such a discussion by national officials" (Sunday Times).

Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said there would be no "fall guy" for the results. He said the NEC could only be forced out if two-thirds of ANC branches called for a conference, and that "at the present moment, there is no such" call (The Citizen).

The ANC's own statement on the results said "we did not do well in this election" and promised to rebuild "from the branch upward". It did not mention any resignation, and said Ramaphosa, as head of state, would officiate when the IEC formally declares the result (ANC statement). The IEC planned to announce the final results at 18:00 on Sunday (eNCA).

Why is this coming up now?

With 99% of results captured, the ANC was on 30.81% of the national vote, its worst municipal result since 1994. It has no outright majority in any metro (IOL). In 2024, under Ramaphosa, it lost its national majority for the first time and formed the government of national unity (GNU) (Sunday Times).

If he quit as ANC leader, would he stop being President?

Not automatically. The ANC presidency is a party post. The President of the country is elected by the National Assembly from among its members, under section 86 of the Constitution (Constitution, chapter 5).

If the office of President of the country falls vacant, the Constitution says the National Assembly must elect a new President within 30 days, and the Deputy President acts in the meantime (Constitution, chapter 5).

One unnamed NEC member told the Sunday Times that Ramaphosa resigning as ANC leader would mean the end of the GNU. That is one party member's view, not an official position (Sunday Times; Briefly News).

What happens next?

The NEC, the ANC's highest decision-making body between conferences, is meeting to discuss the results (The Citizen). Any change to the party's leadership would have to come from the ANC itself. Reported will update this story if Ramaphosa or the ANC announces a decision.