Ebrahim Rasool to resign on Friday

Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool will resign with effect from Friday, African National Congress chairperson Baleka Mbete has announced.

Briefing media in Cape Town on Wednesday, Mbete said finance and tourism MEC Lynne Browne would take over from Rasool.

She emphasised there was no process of purging or punishment, and the ANC was looking at a whole range of issues facing it ahead of next year's general election.

Rasool's resignation was in the best interests of the province and the ANC.

This necessary "political intervention" would give the ANC a chance to "work better" as it prepared for the next elections, she said.

Rasool said this came as a great moment of personal relief for him although he did "feel a bit sad".