Losing Ramaphosa Would Hit ANC Popularity Says Poll-BBG

Bloomberg reporting earlier that according to an internal poll for the governing African National Congress (ANC), the party would lose around a fifth of its support if President Cyril Ramaphosa resigned, as has been called for from opponents from within and outside the party.

• Bloomberg reports poll states that "without Ramaphosa as its face, the party would get 40% of the ballots in next year’s national elections and 48% with him".
• Speaking on 6 Jan, ANC Chairman Gwede Mantashe stated that according to internal polling Ramaphosa, “...is more popular than the party in terms of the latest statistics.” Poll states that Ramaphosa's popularity rating stood at 68% compared to 60% for the ANC as a whole.
• The next general election is due in 2024, and following his re-election as party head in December Ramaphosa will be in prime position to run for a second full term in office.
• The ANC has lost support in each of the last three general elections, and in the 2021 municipal elections the party won under 50% of the vote for the first time in a nationwide vote since the end of apartheid.