MKP Denies Demanding Ramaphosa's Removal for Coalition
Coalition negotiator Dali Mpofu says the party's talks are not conditional on the removal of the ANC president.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in City Hall
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uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) coalition negotiator Dali Mpofu has rejected claims that the party demanded Cyril Ramaphosa's removal as a condition for entering into a coalition. Coalition negotiations are set to begin in the local government sphere after last week's election failed to produce outright majorities in more than 130 municipalities.
Why it matters
With no outright majority winner in more than 130 municipalities, coalition arrangements will determine who governs many local councils across South Africa. Mpofu's denial shapes how the MKP's bargaining position is understood as talks begin.
Last week's local government election failed to produce an outright majority winner in more than 130 municipalities, leaving them to be decided through coalition talks. It is not yet known which parties will form coalitions in those municipalities or on what terms.
The players
Dali Mpofu
Dali Mpofu is the uMkhonto weSizwe Party's coalition negotiator and a senior lawyer and politician who has been prominent in the party's public statements.
uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP)
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party is a South African political party that contested the 2024 General Elections and is now negotiating in local government coalitions.
Cyril Ramaphosa
Cyril Ramaphosa is the President of South Africa and leader of the African National Congress, whose removal was reportedly demanded as a coalition condition.
The details
Mpofu said Ramaphosa will not be the mayor of any town or councillor, and that Ramaphosa's removal has nothing to do with the current situation in local government negotiations. The reported condition that Ramaphosa be removed from leading the African National Congress before any coalition is entered into is one the MKP has rejected.
Timeline
2024: The MKP's position after the 2024 General Elections was set out.
Last week: The local government election failed to produce outright majorities.
Upcoming: Coalition negotiations are set to begin in the local government sphere.
Political Context
The current negotiations follow the pattern of coalition-dependent local government first seen in South Africa's 2016 municipal elections. The MKP's denial of a removal condition is a direct response to reports that could shape how the ANC and its rivals approach those talks.
Residents of the more than 130 municipalities without an outright majority winner will see their councils shaped by coalition deals rather than a single winning party. Those deals will determine who runs local services and budgets in those areas.
The takeaway
Coalition agreements in local government will determine who controls many municipal councils, so it is worth following the terms that parties publicly commit to. Public statements on conditions, such as the one Mpofu made, are an early signal of what those agreements may contain.
What happens next
Coalition negotiations in the local government sphere are set to get underway following last week's election.
Further reading
For more on how local councils are formed after hung results, see City Hall coverage.
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