Ramaphosa was quoted last week in Davos (Switzerland) during the World Economic Forum as having spoken about “nine wasted years” under Zuma while addressing potential investors.
But on Tuesday Zuma tweeted to refute this, dismissing the comments attributed to Ramaphosa.
Zuma said when the ruling African National Congress (ANC) leaders criticised his term in office, they were “pointing the fingers at themselves”, in reference to the fact that Ramaphosa was his deputy during the nine years in question.
To support his case, Zuma listed a number of his “successes”, including his record on fighting HIV and AIDS, the drafting of the National Development Plan, the increased number of social grant recipients, construction of two universities in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape provinces, and the introduction of free tertiary education for poor students nationwide.
“It is with unease that we must bear witness to certain recent comments and attitudes that, if not questioned, threaten to become the prevailing wisdom and even the new status quo in the ANC. Because we are hearing, now, of the country’s ‘nine wasted years’”, Zuma tweeted.
He added: “When referring to the past decade as ‘wasted years’ in this way, these critics saying so within the ANC, might be quick to point out they are not only speaking in reference to me.”
“They may even say they are pointing the finger at themselves, or at the movement in general, but I must still caution against this new trend, and not for my sake” but for the nation.