By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Deputy president Paul Mashatile has dismissed claims that he’s waiting in the wings to step up to lead South Africa, as succession battle starts to gain momentum.
Mashatile ruled out the possibility of President Cyril Ramaphosa not completing his five-year term as president.
He was speaking on the sidelines of annual address of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Parliament on Thursday.
Mashatile said: “Yes, there was an issue that the President raised that there were some amongst NEC members [who] were plotting that he should be removed or resign.”
This had been discussed within the NEC and they decided that “such a move will not be supported”.
This echoed ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s remarks this week: “These are stories planted by forces from within and outside who are hell-bent on disintegrating the ANC.”
Mbalula said this was not the time to focus on leadership, but to look at renewal within the party.
The ANC’s next national elective conference is scheduled for 2027.
Mashatile added: “The President has been elected… He will stay until he finishes his term. So that’s our position.”
The plan was to push the move at the National General Council (NGC) and now it has since emerged that it is unlikely that it is going to happen.
The NGC will take place from December 8 to 11 at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre.
The NGC takes place midway between the party’s elective conferences and reviews implementation of the party’s resolutions.
Fullview learnt that the party is investigating an alleged plot by internal factions to oust Ramaphosa.
During a recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Mondli Gungubele, identified as a key figure in the plot, called for the inquiry.
Mashatile said the party’s focus is the local government elections, whereafter ANC branches will begin leadership deliberations.
The upcoming polls come as municipalities across the country face worsening service delivery challenges, including unreliable water supply, frequent electricity cuts, poor waste collection, and deteriorating roads.
The IEC announced that the next local elections are expected to take place between November 2, 2026, and January 31, 2027.
Since the 2024 general elections, the IEC has registered 34 new political parties, bringing the total number of registered parties in South Africa to 472 — the highest in the country’s history. Of these, 287 are registered nationally, while 185 operate at provincial, district, or metropolitan levels.