ROUTINE CABINET COMMITTEE MEETINGS TAKING PLACE

The media reports that President Jacob Zuma has summoned Ministers to a special Cabinet meeting today are not true.

What is taking place today are routine meetings of Cabinet Committees which are scheduled months before. Cabinet had been in recess and resumed business last week with the Cabinet lekgotla. The meetings of Cabinet Committees take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to process matters that will be taken to Cabinet. The committee meetings are attended by both Ministers and Deputy Ministers while Cabinet meetings are attended by Ministers only.

A routine Cabinet meeting will take place next week.

There is nothing unusual or extraordinary about the meetings. The schedule was finalized last year.

Update:

PRESIDENT ZUMA REQUESTS POSTPONEMENT OF THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

President Jacob Zuma has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete and the Chairperson of the Council of Provinces, Ms Thandi Modise requesting the postponement of the Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, which he had asked them to convene in order to deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The Joint Sitting was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 08 February 2018.

The President has requested the postponement due to certain developments which make it not conducive to successfully hold the sitting and deliver the SONA.

The Presiding Officers have acceded to the President’s request.

Update:

OUTRAGEOUS ALLEGATIONS 

The allegations reported in the media that President Jacob Zuma wishes to fire Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and replace him with Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma are preposterous and outrageous.

The allegations are completely baseless.

The allegations of ethnic mobilisation by the President are equally without foundation. 

Statement issued by Dr Bongani Ngqulunga, The Presidency, 6 February 2018