Maroc - dailynews.co.za - News - 02/Jun 10:36

Ramaphosa will not step down, ANC to announce premiers on Thursday

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula says the party will not negotiate with any political party that demands the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of their coalition negotiations.Mbalula said those parties who had such conditions could “forget about it”.“Cyril is a no-go area. You come to us with that demand, forget.“Ramaphosa must resign? Why did he stand as a president. These are bad times.“When we agreed at (the ANC Elective Conference in) Nasrec, it even meant for occasions like this. You don't run away,” he said.Mbalula said the ANC was already in talks with political parties. He said the way forward would be determined by Monday and presented to the NWC and to the NEC by Tuesday.By Thursday, the ANC would announce its premiers.ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula addresses the media about the governing party’s electoral decline below 50% in the May 29 elections. Picture: Sihle Mlambo/IOLThe ANC is understood to already be in talks with the DA, EFF and the IFP. Mbalula said they would talk with “everybody”, including the MK Party.“We are talking with anyone who is significant ... The leaderboard will tell you who you must talk to, it will reflect the will of the people.”None of them have said they don't want to talk to the ANC, none. There are many options on the table, including a re-run, going back to the (opposition) benches.“We will put the interest of the people first. The coalitions have not worked for us … But it is the will of the People.“We cannot abandon the ship because we have six million people who still believe in us. We are blown, but not out. We are still standing, we will come back,” said Mbalula.He said South Africa had to exist beyond “narrow political interests”.Responding to a question if they were talking or willing to talk with the MK, he said:“MK Party talks? We are talking with everybody. There is nobody we will not talk to.“We have been approached by political parties. We are talking to everybody because the elections did not give us outright majority,” he said.Reflecting on their 40% election results outcome, Mbalula pointed to the low voter turnout, the water crisis in KZN, challenges with load shedding, black middle class snub and the emergence of former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party were some of their shortcomings for their poor showing. He also said some of their strongholds, including places like Soweto, voter turnout was poor.“Zuma was a factor at these elections and the emergence of MK, definitely.“We never underestimated Zuma, we knew he would get support in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and KZN.“That is why you all saw us on the ground. Our challenge was there. We spend a lot of time and resources,” he said.Mbalula acknowledged the MK Party was a huge factor eating up support at ANC strongholds in KZN, and said if some of the ANC officials worked with the MK, it was their choice and they would look into such allegations.“We have lost even some of our strongholds to the MK. It looks like we were marching with Zuma machinery on the ground,” said Mbalula.ANC deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane and Mdumiseni Ntuli as head of elections would analyse the performance.“We had to fight hard in these elections. Even our own research was pointing to 43%,” he said.Still a force?Mbalula said despite losing their electoral majority for the first time in the new democratic South Africa, the ANC was still the biggest party and they would be back stronger.“Even you as the media, we saw you in the queues punching the lines change change change. You are using harsh words like ‘booted out’.“We are not booted out. We are still a force to be reckoned with. We believe in persuading the voters. We ran a clean campaign, we were not dirty,” he said.Mbalula said the ANC accepts the outcome of the results, and responding to the MK and over 20 parties, he said they should present their disputes with the IEC and that they “condemn any threats of violence”.”If people have disputes, they must raise them with the IEC. There are many things sitting here that I am not happy about. Is there any material effect on the result?“We commend the IEC for a job well done and we will have dinner tonight,” he said.sihle.mlambo@iol.co.zaIOL