Going, going … is David Mabzua about to exit the presidency?

Deputy President David Mabuza appears to be on his way out of the government, paving the way for his ANC counterpart, Paul Mashatile, to make his much anticipated move from Luthuli House to the Union Buildings.

Several well-placed ANC sources said this week that Mabuza, who failed to make the ballot for a second term at the party’s conference in December, had submitted a letter of resignation to the president on Monday.

They said although Cyril Ramaphosa had accepted the resignation, Mabuza still needed to formally resign as a member of parliament before leaving the government office he has occupied since February 2018.

Presidential spokespersons dismissed the claims that Mabuza had resigned as “rumour”, while the minister in the presidency said he had not been “fully briefed” on the matter.