South Africans have once again propelled the hashtag #VoetsekANC—a blunt Afrikaans-English phrase meaning “Get lost, ANC”—to the forefront of social media, with over 8,000 posts in the last 24 hours. The resurgence coincides with the African National Congress’s (ANC) National General Council (NGC) in Boksburg, where President Cyril Ramaphosa’s remarks praising corrupt members for “stepping aside” have ignited accusations of hypocrisy and elite protectionism.
The hashtag first gained traction in 2020 during the COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) scandals, and has since become a rallying cry against perceived governance failures, from state capture to crumbling infrastructure. This week’s spike, peaking Friday afternoon, draws from fresh NGC fallout, including Ramaphosa’s calls for “renewal” and Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams’ series of public missteps.
Social media users are venting frustration over both domestic and international policies, criticising high unemployment, lapses in witness protection, and fears of corruption in the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) program. Many are also taking aim at the ANC’s foreign policy alignments with countries such as Iran and Russia.
Posts under the hashtag paint a vivid picture of public exasperation:
- @Stacey_Barnes84 slammed Ramaphosa’s NGC address, tweeting: “Stepping aside? In the real world those people would be charged, investigated, and prosecuted. And you wonder why people have lost faith in the ANC? #VoetsekANC.”
- @Airborne4Life_ mocked Ndabeni-Abrahams over a venue mix-up: “Is it Birchwood Boksburg or Birchwood Gauteng? Only the geographical MORON @Stellarated can answer! FOKOFF AMASELA @MYANC CRIME CARTEL‼️ #VoetsekANC.”
- @thehollowtree2 criticised the party’s global alliances: “Why? The corrupt ANC chose Iran, Russia, China. #ANCcrimesyndicate #VoetsekANC.”
- @ThePsyberFox shared a coffin-nail meme: “#voetsekANC another nail in your coffin of corruption and destruction. It’s literally the beginning of the end, moddafokkas.”
Political commentator Lukhona Mnguni told eNCA that “#VoetsekANC isn’t just noise – it’s a symptom of unresolved rot, from PPE probes to NHI risks. Younger voices are leading the charge.”
In response, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula called for unity, tweeting: “We can either Renew or Perish.” Critics were quick to retort. “You will perish. #ANCcrimesyndicate #VoetsekANC,” wrote one user.
With polls showing ANC support dipping below 50% ahead of the 2026 elections, the hashtag’s meme-fueled momentum—including parody songs, cartoons, and calls to “finish the job at the ballot box”—signals growing voter fatigue.