ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has removed his name from the list of potential candidates for the presidential race that will follow the conclusion of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s term in 2027.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ANC’s national general council (NGC) in Boksburg on Tuesday, Mantashe said he considers himself too old to vie for the party’s top position.
“People will put their names in the hat. They want to be elected, but that is premature at this point in time,” he said.
“The time for that will come, and I can tell you I’m not going to be available. I’m old. I’m more than 70 years old so I’m a retiree.”
Background talks and speculation about a succession battle within the ANC have intensified ahead of the party’s 2027 elective conference.
Several high-profile members are rumoured to have put their names forward, including:
- deputy president Paul Mashatile;
- National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza;
- ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula;
- international relations and cooperation minister Ronald Lamola;
- minister of electricity and energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa;
- Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane; and
- ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.
Despite the NGC being the party’s second-highest decision-making body, ANC leaders have consistently dismissed the topic of succession battles being discussed at the event.
Mbalula said the NGC would not entertain discussions about succession.
“That discussion belongs to the branches at a stage relevant to it. This general council is about preparing the ANC to win elections, among other things. It’s about consolidating the programme of renewal of the ANC,” Mbalula said.
“We have learned about attempts to try and divert us from the core business of the general council to focus on matters that will have their own time to be discussed.”
He stressed the topic of leadership would be discussed at the appropriate time in 2027, when Ramaphosa is due to finish his term.
“If the membership of the ANC wants him to continue, the constitution allows it. We value the asset called Ramaphosa very much in the ANC, and he has led in difficult times coming into this administration.”
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