President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reprimand of Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has seemingly fallen flat as she has accused her boss of effectively lying.

In a brief statement Sisulu says she did not retract nor apologise for her opinion piece “Hi Mzansi, have we seen justice?”. Sisulu adds that she stands by her article and categorically disowns the entire presidency statement as it misrepresents the meeting, she had with President Ramaphosa.

But the Presidency issued a response saying it’s stand by its first statement. In that statement it indicated President Ramaphosa had admonished Sisulu for her attack on the judiciary. The President appeared to have taken serious issue with certain of her views. Among them the view “Today, in the high echelons of our judicial system are those mentally colonised Africans, who have settled with the worldview and mindset of those who have dispossessed their ancestors.

These developments are believed to be mostly part of the ANC’s leadership race and deepening factionalism. Its elective conference is scheduled for the end of this year.