Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool will resign with effect from Friday, African National Congress national chairwoman Baleka Mbete has announced.

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

Mbete emphasised there was no process of "purging or punishment" in the ANC's decision to replace Rasool. "There is no such thing," she said.

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, Mbete said.

This was not the first time the ANC had changed the deployment of cadres. She cited the redeployment of former Free State premier Mosiuoa Lekota and his Mpumalanga counterpart Matthews Phosa in the past.

"From time to time we make such changes," Mbete said.

The ANC looked at the challenges in a particular area at a
particular time on an ongoing basis to see if the deployment of cadres was "sustainable".

At the moment, this political intervention was in the best interests of the ANC and the province. It was now necessary for the ANC to focus on the next election.

Asked about changes to the provincial executive, Mbete said the ANC would "cross that bridge" after Browne had taken up her new position.

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

He had a "good balance of sadness and relief".

Rasool said it was clear the ANC leadership in the province needed to be "strengthened" in the run-up to the next election and he did not want to put the ANC through further pain.

"My resignation was always going to be the only option."

He understood the ANC's objectives behind the move.

He also felt "absolutely comfortable" that he was not the victim of a purge or being singled out, and was leaving with dignity and honour.

Rasool said he remained a loyal and disciplined party member and would continue working for an ANC victory in the Western Cape in the next election.

His resignation did not mean he was ending his ties with the ANC and he would discuss aspects of his future deployment with the ANC's national leadership, as he was also resigning as a member of the provincial legislature.

Rasool said it was too early to say what he would be doing in future, but had to "rediscover" himself.

He also pledged his full support for Browne. Brown said she was humbled at being asked to lead the ANC in the province for the next eight months.

She was taking over a stable province and would work to unite the ANC and all the people of the province.