The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) African National Congress (ANC) has no members elected in the ANC's top seven, but the province is prepared to "accept" the outcome of the ANC election, which ensured a victory for Cyril Ramaphosa over Zweli Mkhize. 

Ramaphosa's second term was praised by his allies and bitterly accepted by his opponents, who had no choice but to rally behind the conference outcomes. 

Mkhize's most significant support came from his home province of KZN. The province has no members elected in the ANC top seven.  

This is the second conference where the province still needs to secure a leader as part of the national leadership. The provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said the province and those who did not back Ramaphosa have no choice but to rally behind the president's second term. 

"They have no choice but to accept. All of us are subjected to the leadership that has been elected," Mtolo said following the election outcome. 

On the province's failure to have a leader elected as part of the top leadership, Mtolo said this was not an issue because no ANC rule dictated that a leader had to emerge from a specific province. 

"There's no law that says there must be a candidate that wins from KZN." Ramaphosa's allies believe his election entrenched his authority over the party. 

ANC national executive committee (NEC) member and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said Ramaphosa's return meant certainty for policy continuity. 

"For the fact that we have elected the same president means we will ensure continuity in policy implementation, and that is a major achievement," Godongwana said. 

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, who contested the deputy president position in a slate aligned to Ramaphosa and lost to Paul Mashatile, said his loss was not disappointing because Ramaphosa had been elected as intended. 

"I am not really disappointed. The outcomes show that we work better."

Ramaphosa was our priority to return for the country, and he is back here. We wanted to strengthen that collective, and we have," Mabuyane said. 

Mashatile got 2 178 votes, while Mabuyane got 1 858 votes. 

Ronald Lamola who had also contested for the deputy president position received just 315 votes. He said he had to run on principle and did not regret splitting the votes.

The justice minister had campaigned on a slogan of generational mix in the ANC leadership.   

"I paved the way for people coming behind me to feel like they can lead the ANC," Lamola said. 

Mondli Gungubele, who led Ramaphosa's campaign for a second term, was all smiles as he walked across the plenary floor at Nasrec, eager to share his perspective. 

Gungubele, the minister in the Presidency had rallied delegates ahead of voting on Saturday about the importance of a second-term victory for Ramaphosa. 

"I sense the rebirth of the ANC. That rebirth is a new hope for our people. Cyril has been given another mandate," Gungubele said.

He seemed convinced that the ANC's top leadership would be less divided, and he said he hoped the NEC to be elected by Tuesday would reflect a power shift beneficial to Ramaphosa. 

"We pray to get an NEC that will be consistent with this," Gungubele said.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said he was optimistic that a second term for Ramaphosa would allow for the implementation of the reforms the president had initiated.

Magwenya said Ramaphosa was "energised" after his victory."

Some of his reforms have started producing outcomes for the benefit of the country," Magwenya said.