ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told scores of reporters at the Results Operation Centre (ROC) on Sunday that President Cyril Ramaphosa was going nowhere.
Mbalula said anyone who approached or would want to negotiate with the ANC based on the condition that Ramaphosa must leave would not be negotiating with good faith.
“If you come to us with the demand that Ramaphosa must step down as president, that is not going to happen.
“We are not going to engage with political parties based on who they want, who they don’t want. We have many reservations about MK Party but we will talk to them,” Mbalula said.
The ANC would not allow another political party to dictate terms for them as the ANC, Mbalula said.
He, however, said that the ANC came out of these elections with a clear mandate of continuing the work of rebuilding the economy, create jobs, end corruption, tackle the high cost of living and continue the transformation of the economy and society.
“While the ANC has won the most votes in this election, the results show a significant decline in the ANC support from previous elections.
“While there are several factors that have contributed to the decline in support, the results send a clear message to the ANC.
“The ANC commends the people of SA for once again demonstrating the strength and vibrancy of our democracy. It is clear that the ANC has won most votes, and remains the most popular party,” Mbalula said.
Ramaphosa is under extreme pressure as he was the first president in 30 years to lead the party below 50% in the history of the ANC.
With almost all the votes in from Wednesday’s poll, the ANC is on 40% -- down from 58% in the previous election.
The ANC has always polled above 50% since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela become president.
As things stand the ANC has two options to partner with -- the DA, which was in the second place on 22%, or the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party led by former president Jacob Zuma, on 15%.
The radical EFF was on 9%, so a coalition of those two parties would fall just short of the required 50%.
The new Parliament must be sworn in within two weeks of the final results and the new president would normally be chosen then.
The Star
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