Electricity Minister Kgosientsho “Sputla” Ramokgopa has acknowledged being lobbied to run for the ANC presidency in 2027, even as he issued a stark warning that such internal contests are a dangerous distraction from the party’s battle to avoid a “catastrophic” loss in the 2026 local government elections.
Ramokgopa, also a member of the governing ANC National Executive Committee, confirmed that internal party lobbies are urging him to contest the ANC presidency in 2027.
Speaking to Sunday World on the sidelines of the ANC’s 114th anniversary celebrations at Moruleng Stadium in the North West, he stopped short of declaring his candidacy.
“I cannot be naïve. Of course comrades do approach, and that is a fact. It is an inevitable conversation because we are going to a conference whose responsibility is to elect,” he said.
“You cannot shy away. There are names that are mentioned, and at the right time we will make a determination.”
Municipal elections priority
However, Ramokgopa cautioned against the party becoming consumed by leadership contestation, arguing that the ANC’s immediate priority should be the 2026 local government elections.
He warned that discussions about leadership positions would be meaningless if the party failed to retain power at the polls. At the 2024 national elections the party garnered 40% of the vote and lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994.
Voter turnout has also dropped sharply, with many traditional ANC supporters choosing not to vote at all. As a result, the party has been forced into coalition arrangements and now faces a far more competitive and fragmented political landscape.
The ANC’s losses have been attributed to multiple factors, including ongoing service delivery failures, including electricity and water shortages, high unemployment, corruption scandals, and weak governance at the municipal level. The emergence of new political parties and the resurgence of former allies have further eroded its support base.
ANC could occupy opposition benches
“If the ANC experiences a catastrophic election, then what is the basis of us speaking about 2027? We will be sitting on the opposition benches,” he said, adding that the focus now is the 2026 elections. “Let the ANC defend what it has.”
The ANC’s electoral support has continued to decline in recent years, intensifying calls for organisational renewal and improved service delivery. Ramokgopa’s name has been floated as a potential successor to party president Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside that of his deputy Paul Mashatile.
There is also a growing lobby within the party for the election of a woman leader. Among the names in circulation are National Assembly Chief Whip Thoko Didiza and ANC Treasurer-General Gwen Ramokgopa.
On Thursday ANCWL president Sisisi Tolashe openly lobbied for a woman to be elected to lead the party during an Umanyano event on Thursday in the run-up to the January 8 celebrations.
“This should be the year we are going to turn things around. Like in 1956, they sang their song, and they were strong and brave. We need to sing ours, and this time we are going to make sure that women are recognised and take up strategic positions. We say we want a woman president of the ANC,” according to Tolashe.
She emphasised that the matter could no longer be deferred.
“We cannot suspend this battle; we can no longer ignore it. This is the time when we are going to confront it.”
