Johannesburg – The allegation that President Jacob Zuma wishes to fire Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and replace him with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is “preposterous and outrageous”, the Presidency said on Tuesday evening.

“The allegations are completely baseless. The allegations of ethnic mobilisation by the president are equally without foundation,” said Presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, the SACP called on Zuma to deny or confirm “credible” information that he planned to fire Ramaphosa and replace him with the former African Union Commission chair.

READ: There will be no SONA until Zuma resigns – EFF

The party said Zuma’s conduct was “reckless and unacceptable”.

“Dlamini-Zuma was President Zuma’s preferred presidential candidate for the 54th ANC national [elective] conference held in December 2017.

“To that extent, it would be very clear that President Zuma is also determined to divide and destroy the ANC through unrepentant factional conduct,” it said.  

The SACP reiterated its call for Zuma to resign and for the ANC to recall him if he refused to step down.