ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula announced that the party's National Executive Committee did not discuss recalling or removing President Cyril Ramaphosa [1].
The announcement aims to stabilize the party amid speculation regarding the president's tenure and the impact of recent legal rulings on his leadership.
Speaking at a media briefing on May 15, 2026, Mbalula detailed the outcomes of a special National Executive Committee meeting held at the ANC national headquarters in South Africa [5]. The meeting focused on a broad spectrum of organizational, political, governance, and socio-economic matters [1].
Mbalula said the committee's deliberations did not include the recall or resignation of the president [2]. This clarification comes as the party navigates internal pressures and public scrutiny following a Constitutional Court ruling regarding the Phala-Phala matter [5].
Beyond the presidency, the briefing addressed the electoral stance of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the processes for selecting mayoral candidates [3]. These discussions are critical as the party manages its alliances and prepares for future governance challenges.
The Secretary General said the NEC meeting served to inform party members and the public of the decisions made on these priority issues [1]. The briefing sought to address rumors of instability within the party's top leadership while outlining the path forward for its political and organizational goals [1, 2].
“the NEC did not discuss a recall or resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa”
The ANC's explicit denial of a recall process suggests a strategic effort to project unity and stability. By addressing the Phala-Phala ruling and SACP tensions in a single briefing, the party is attempting to neutralize multiple sources of instability simultaneously to maintain its grip on executive power.
