A President Tired of Whispers

President Cyril Ramaphosa has never been one for dramatic statements, which is why his latest outburst has rattled political circles. During a tense political overview delivered to the ANC NEC, the president is reported to have told his detractors to “stop discussing my exit in dark corners like cowards” and if they want him gone, they must give him a resignation date.

For a leader known for measured calm, the remark landed like a thunderclap.

This blow-up follows weeks of speculation mostly whispered, sometimes shouted that Ramaphosa plans to step aside after hosting the G20 summit in Johannesburg. From WhatsApp voice notes to political gossip on X, the rumour mill has been working overtime.

But this time, the president pushed back.

Inside Luthuli House, No One Wants to Say the Word “Succession”

When journalists asked the ANC directly whether Ramaphosa is “in the departure lounge”, the party’s spokesperson, Nonceba Mhlauli, dismissed the idea outright and a little theatrically.

“There is no departure lounge in the NEC,” she said, emphasising that the committee elected in December 2022 will serve its term, with Ramaphosa at the helm, until December 2027.

Her remark even carried a bit of humour when she joked about the president potentially running for a third term a joke that quickly became a trending soundbite on TikTok.

But the line she repeated the most?
There are no verified plans for Ramaphosa to resign.

Public reaction mirrored the country’s political fatigue: some South Africans shrugged, others accused ANC leaders of gaslighting, and many simply wondered why the party is fighting itself in public yet again.

Coalition Allies Fan the Flames

If ANC leaders are trying to douse the smoke, Gayton McKenzie is doing the opposite.

The Patriotic Alliance leader and now sports minister, boldly declared on Facebook:
“The war has started.”

According to him, Ramaphosa confronted NEC members because certain factions were plotting his removal behind closed doors. McKenzie called these alleged plans a “massive mistake” and suggested the GNU’s progress was triggering internal panic.

To his supporters, this was classic Gayton: blunt, combative, and unbothered.
To critics, it looked like political theatre.

But one thing is clear the GNU has its own gravitational pull. Whenever coalition politics shift, everyone in the system feels it.

Ramaphosa Loyalists Try to Calm the Storm

Earlier in the month, Ramaphosa’s special envoy to the Central African Republic, Bejani Chauke, fired back at the G20 resignation rumours, calling them “irresponsible”.

Chauke, a long-time ally who is politically closest to Ramaphosa’s inner circle, insisted there were no plans for a strategic retreat or resignation meeting with GNU partners despite reports of a secret gathering.

According to him, Ramaphosa has been steering Cabinet toward stability, renewal, and accountability in line with GNU agreements. And with South Africa hosting global leaders for the G20, he argued the president was focused on diplomacy, not departure timelines.

Context: Why These Rumours Hit Hard

South Africans have seen this movie before, presidents removed through internal party battles, governing factions negotiating power in hotel conference rooms, and leadership contests bleeding into governance.

When whispers of a mid-term resignation surface, especially inside the ANC, it’s rarely dismissed as mere gossip.
There is always a political logic behind the rumours:

• A weakened centre of power,

• GNU tensions,

• ANC factions eyeing 2027,

• Local election groundwork, and

• The public’s growing distrust of political transparency.

In this environment, even off-hand comments can spark a wildfire.

A President Standing His Ground, For Now

What makes Ramaphosa’s confrontation so unusual is its tone. This was not the softly-spoken, consensus-driven leader South Africans know. This was a man tired of being whispered about by people who won’t say things to his face.

That moment, “Give me the day you want me to resign”, may become one of the defining quotes of Ramaphosa’s second term.

It tells us two things:

1. He knows the rumours are coming from inside the house.

2. He’s prepared to challenge his critics publicly.

Whether this signals strength or frustration depends on who you ask.

What’s Next?

Officially, Ramaphosa stays president until 2027.
Unofficially, the ANC’s internal battles often ignore calendars.

For now, he remains focused on the G20, the GNU and stabilising his Cabinet. But his demand for honesty within the NEC has shifted the political mood. The public is now watching for signs, real or perceived, that cracks are widening.

The question lingering in the air:
Was Ramaphosa asserting authority, or calling someone’s bluff?

Either way, the message was unmistakable:
If he’s going, it won’t be through whispers.

{Source: The Citizen}

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