Relations between Zuma and Ramaphosa hit ‘freezing’ point

Relations between President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa have reportedly hit rock bottom, with the two leaders apparently not on speaking terms.

A lack of trust and a complete breakdown in communication is what led to the situation, government insiders told the Mail & Guardian this week.

The weekly reports that the cold war between the two men is said to have hit “freezing point” and they often communicate through officials in their respective offices, with sources saying they both “cannot stand each other”.

“In public, they will pretend as if all is well, but that’s not the case. He [Zuma] is treating Ramaphosa the same way he used to treat [former deputy president] Kgalema Motlanthe,” said a senior government official, who asked not to be named.

In 2012, Motlanthe challenged Zuma at the African National Congress’ (ANC) elective conference in Mangaung, Free State, but lost due to poor campaigning. Ramaphosa is now vying for Zuma’s job as the ruling party’s succession debate heats up, but Zuma is said to prefer his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to take over party reins from him instead of his deputy, as it has been tradition within the ANC.

Ramaphosa has also apparently lodged two official complaints with the office of International Relations and Cooperation (dirco) Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane – a close Zuma ally – about the “insignificant assignments” given to him by the department.

“… he is very much aware that the minister gets instructions from the office of the president. By lodging the complaint with the minister’s office, he is indirectly saying to Zuma that he is tired of the tactics to undermine his bid to become the next ANC leader and the country’s president in 2019,” the source said.

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Ramaphosa, according to insiders, is unhappy about the number of international trips he is required to go on for the department, which are said to be purposely intended to distract him from his campaign to lobby support to succeed Zuma.

The deputy president’s spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, has denied tensions between Zuma and Ramaphosa. He said he was not aware of the complaints to dirco.

So when did the ‘frosty’ relations begin?

According to the M&G, when Ramaphosa told Power FM in December last year that he was ready to stand for president, should ANC branches nominate him for the top job, that is when the all-out political warfare began.

The deputy president’s defence of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has also badly affected their working relationship.

Another Zuma ally, State Security Minister David Mahlobo, has apparently warned him about removing Gordhan from Treasury because it might result in mass resignations from his Cabinet colleagues, including Ramaphosa, especially ahead of the ANC’s national elective conference in December.

The sources also confirmed rumours that when Zuma removed former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene from his portfolio in December 2015, Ramaphosa threatened to resign if he did not reverse the decision.

Zuma’s call for “radical economic transformation” during his State of the Nation Address in parliament on Thursday evening is purportedly meant to target his opponents, such as Ramaphosa and Gordhan, according to some anti-Zuma supporters.