Ramaphosa’s DA praise a major own goal: Analyst

Legal and Governance Analyst, Leo Maphosa, says African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has effectively scored an own goal, after his candid remark that DA-run municipalities often perform better than ANC-led ones was seized on by opposition parties as evidence of the ANC’s failures.

Maphosa says while Ramaphosa likely intended the comment as a call for introspection and improvement within the ANC, the political fallout has been significant.

Ramaphosa made the remarks during a Roll Call event at FNB Stadium in Soweto, attended by ANC councillors from across the country. The gathering took place amid ongoing service delivery challenges across South Africa.

The DA has since welcomed and amplified his statement across its social media platforms.

🚨”Those municipalities that do best are not ANC-controlled municipalities… they are often DA-controlled municipalities.” – Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC President

The DA gets things done! 🇿🇦#DAdelivers pic.twitter.com/4NnvqgJB1J

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) September 15, 2025

Maphosa says that rather than demonstrating strong leadership, Ramaphosa’s remarks could weaken the ANC ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

 

He adds that the Ramaphosa’s comments have been viewed less as honesty and more as an admission of failure, reinforcing perceptions that the ANC is better at acknowledging its problems than solving them.

According to Maphosa, as elections draw closer, voters will judge the ANC not by its words but by tangible service delivery — from running water and reliable electricity to waste collection and job creation.

Some social media users have taken to X to share their views on Ramaphosa’s comments.

It’s clear that Cyril Ramaphosa was sent to destroy the ANC.

To defund & privatize as many SOEs as possible.

To usher in a transition where the country is handed over to the DA & other capital-favoured parties.

The Oppenheimers will continue to run South Africa for a long…

— Penuel The Black Pen (@GodPenuel) September 15, 2025

Ramaphosa is a DA president. Does he know that the DA messed up Tshwane? I know the ANC councilors are useless, but to make Cape Town the epitome of success when you have surrounding black townships struggling for services is foolish.

ANC, DA & EFF are enemies of SA. Kindly…

— Corruption-Hater 🦅🇿🇦🦁 (@MadiBoity) September 15, 2025

ANC’s implosion/own goals isn’t a cause for concern. But what SHOULD concern you is the country’s president has himself also fallen for DA’s PR machine. I said when GNU was formed DA would run circles around ANC becos they’re more media savvy, didn’t think it would be this bad🥹 https://t.co/R1iZ8QVnyQ

— Nolwazi Tusini (@NolwAzi_Tusini) September 15, 2025