Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa could be the next casualty of a cabinet reshuffle‚ an insider has told news channel eNCA.

James Motlatsi‚ who formed the powerful National Union of Mineworkers with Ramaphosa and others‚ said he had learnt that President Jacob Zuma would use an intelligence report to justify axing Ramaphosa.

“Let me say to you‚ unconfirmed reports are saying that [this will happen] very soon. This issue‚ Cyril even raised it in a meeting. We have been told by other people that the president himself‚ he is saying Cyril is a spy of Western capitalists‚ so we are waiting for that intelligence report to come out for him‚” Motlatsi said.

Zuma used a similar report to oust Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas from the finance ministry earlier this year‚ ANC leaders have said.

Zuma on Tuesday announced another cabinet shake-up‚ the second this year.

He removed SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande as education minister and swapped around five other portfolios.

The reshuffle has been condemned by opposition parties.

The SACP said it was a direct attack on the party‚ which has called for Zuma’s resignation.

Motlatse said the exercise was an act of retribution on Zuma’s part.

“It’s political revenge because the SACP‚ not only Blade‚ had already taken a stance that the president should step down. So‚ instead of engaging the SACP‚ he would like to punish the SACP.”

-TimesLIVE

Source: TMG Digital.