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ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu wants "urgent attention" on an alleged plot to oust President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC leader.
He was responding after the Sunday Times ran a story that former president Jacob Zuma allegedly held a secret meeting in Durban this week with ANC secretary general Ace Magashule, recently removed North West chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, ANC Women's League secretary general Meokgo Matuba and ANC Youth League KwaZulu-Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo.
"The @SundayTimesZA story today alleging 'a plot to oust our President @CyrilRamaphosa' deserves urgent attention by @MYANC NEC. The alleged clandestine plot, which regrettably includes the SG, comrade Ace Magashule, undermines the unity and renewal efforts of the ANC," Mthembu tweeted on Sunday.
He also tweeted that the alleged plot undermines the state's efforts to fight and reverse the effects of "state capture". Mthembu further stated that those involved wanted to undermine the ANC 2019 election campaign.
After Mthembu's tweets, the ANC released a statement condemning the Sunday Times story, calling it "sensational hot air".
"The ANC will not dignify these blatant lies and fabrications with a detailed response. However, we would like to point out that we refute this shameless gossip. We also reject attempts to link our secretary general, Cde Ace Magashule, to this alleged plot to oust the president of the ANC, Cde Cyril Ramaphosa," reads the statement from ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe.
"It is clear that this malicious gossip is calculated to cast aspersions on the integrity and commitment of our secretary general to the unity and renewal project of the African National Congress."
Mabe insisted that Magashule was focused on fostering unity in the ANC.
"The ANC calls on its members and the public at large not to be misled by this factually baseless story."
Sabelo has lodged a complaint with the Press Ombudsman following the report, but Sunday Times editor Bongani Siqoko said the publication stood by its report.
Matuba, in her capacity as women's league secretary general, also released a statement denying the allegations and questioning the integrity of the authors of the report.
Mthembu could not be reached for comment on Monday morning.
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