No bad blood between Ramaphosa and Zuma, claims ANC

The relationship between Zuma and his erstwhile deputy has been a point of speculation and conjecture for many years.

Chatter around the alleged strained relationship reached new heights after Zuma, on the eve of the ANC’s national elective conference, announced that he would privately prosecute Ramaphosa.

The charges stem from Zuma’s prosecution of state prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan for the alleged leaking of his medical records.

Zuma has accused Ramaphosa of assisting them and being an accessory after the fact.

Ramaphosa was quick to deny the claims following the announcement on Thursday.

To add insult to injury, Zuma received a hero’s welcome while Ramaphosa was heckled by some delegates during a speech outlining what the ANC-led government had achieved on Friday.

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A video of the pair, purportedly filmed after Ramaphosa’s political report, has gone viral on social media.

It showed Zuma and Ramaphosa engaged in pleasantries.

“President Zuma and President Ramaphosa having that easy touch,” was ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe’s response to the video.

“So, there’s no big issue between leaders of the ANC that will stand against the organisation continuing.”

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Insisting there is no beef between the two, Mabe continued:

“And everything else that they do in the movement is to contribute to towards the movement growing and going forward.”

However, Zuma is set to proceed with his private prosecution against Ramaphosa despite the assurances of the ANC.