ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu says allegations of plot to oust President Cyril Ramaphosa by a group led by former president Jacob Zuma “deserves urgent attention” by the ANC’s National Executive Committee.

“The alleged clandestine plot‚ which regrettably includes the SG [secretary-general] comrade Ace Magashule‚ undermines the unity and renewal efforts of the ANC‚” he tweeted on Sunday.

Mthembu said the secret plot undermined efforts to fight and reverse the impacts of state capture.

The Sunday Times revealed that Zuma held a clandestine meeting with staunch backers - including Magashule‚ former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo‚ ANC Women's League secretary-general Meokgo Matuba and ANC Youth League KwaZulu-Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo - at the Maharani hotel in Durban on Thursday.

The Thursday meeting was preceded by one the day before at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks. That meeting is believed to have been attended by Magashule‚ Mahumapelo and former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni.

Mthembu said: “Those involved in this plot also want to undermine the ANC 2019 election campaign so as to produce disastrous results.” The ANC Women’s League issued a statement on Sunday calling the story false.

“The ANC lists conferences and 2019 elections are approaching and journalists like Qaanitah and Jeff who have abandoned their code of ethics in journalism will intensify their malicious false stories aimed at dividing and discrediting the ANC‚” Matuba said in the statement.

The statement did not address the details of the story.

The Sunday Times detailed that Matuba denied being in Durban on Thursday when the meeting took place‚ saying she never met Zuma - even though the Sunday Times is in possession of photo confirming the meeting.

“No amount of false reporting by Qaanitah and Jeff or any journalist will succeed in diverting the ANCWL from ensuring that the ANC leadership collective under President Ramaphosa tackles challenges within and outside that movement and makes the ANC an even more effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the people‚” Matuba said.

ANC Youth League KwaZulu Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo also issued a statement denying having attended the meeting‚ but did not explain why he was seen outside the Maharani hotel.

“I want to state that I was never part of a meeting as detailed in the article. I am not part of a plot and will not be part of a plot to oust the sitting leadership of the African National Congress. I enjoy a good working relationship with President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ the President of the ANC and the Republic and would not be part of a plot to oust him‚” Sabelo said. He said the report was aimed at harming his good working relationship with Ramaphosa. “Once again I wish to distance myself from the said meeting and state categorically that I was not part of any meeting‚” Sabelo said.