By Biodun Busari

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has lost the political backing of his party, the African National Congress (ANC) and may resign following an advisory report of his violation of the constitution.

The local media report said the president is “very likely” to announce his resignation as head of state in the next few hours.

In accordance with the Constitution, Deputy President David Mabuza, a former premier of Mpumalanga, will step in as acting president until Parliament votes for a new president.

According to News24, Ramaphosa will also pull out as ANC leader and not seek re-election.

It is expected that whoever voted as the next ANC president mid-December will be sworn in as state president at a special sitting of Parliament at the end of the month.

A reliable source said Ramaphosa did not have to be convinced of the case to resign. He said the president himself said it was in the best interest of the stability of the country for him to quit.

“There is nothing we can do now,” the source said.

The pressure to step down mounted on him following the fallout of the release of the report on Phala Phala.

The Section 89 panel chaired by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo made serious findings against Ramaphosa.

Phala Phala is a ‘farmgate’ scandal in which Ramaphosa was accused of covering up a $4 million theft from his farm in 2020, including kidnapping and bribing the burglars into silence.

A three-volume investigative report revealed that he abused his position and may have broken an anti-corruption law.

Ramaphosa has denied any crime and said only $580,000 of cash was stolen.