Embattled North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has “voluntarily” decided to resign, the ANC in the North West confirmed on Tuesday.

There have been violent protests in the province’s capital Mahikeng and other towns through the province over the past month as pressure mounted on him to vacate his position.

Acting provincial secretary Susan Dantjie confirmed in a statement that the party accepted Mahumapelo’s resignation “with a sense [of] apprehension – but great pride”.

“As an organisation, we will forever be appreciative and learn from his emphatic, principled but simple approach to issues,” Dantjie said.

“In his 35 years of revolutionary activism in the ANC, he has mastered the art of remaining simple and humble at all times, despite sustained concocted attacks against him by some friends and comrades.”

READ: ‘Packing my bags and going home from tomorrow,’ says Supra Mahumapelo

She said the party was confident he would continue his movement in whatever new role he was deployed to.

“We urge him to remain steadfast in what he believes are the necessary tasks of executing the revolution,” she said.

Dantjie added that the ANC still believed “in Cde (comrade) Supra’s innocence until he’s proven otherwise” and commended him for putting the interests of the province and its people before his own.

“Continue leading us on an exemplary role in society as you have done for so many years.”

Earlier, News24 asked Mahumapelo if reports that he would be stepping down on Wednesday were true. He responded: “Packing my bags and going home from tomorrow.”

His detractors have called for his entire provincial executive committee to also be disbanded.

Pressure mounted on Mahumapelo to vacate his office after President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed an inter-ministerial task team to investigate the unfolding crisis. He has already placed the health department under national administration.  

Ramaphosa was expected to receive a report from the inter-ministerial team, led by minister in the Presidency Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, this week.