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WATCH | 'I'll sweep the floor if asked' - Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma responds to deputy presidency speculation

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma cast her special vote at the Compensation Trading Store voting station in KwaDukuza in northern KZN on Monday May 5 2018
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma cast her special vote at the Compensation Trading Store voting station in KwaDukuza in northern KZN on Monday May 5 2018
Image: ORRIN SINGH

Minister in the presidency for the national planning commission for policy and evaluation, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has responded with openness to the idea of her being called on to serve as the country's deputy president.

This comes after an unverified list of a proposed cabinet has been circulating on social media which speculates on positions if the ANC is victorious after national elections on Wednesday. The list positions Dlamini-Zuma as deputy president under President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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Minutes after she cast her special vote at the Compensation Trading Store voting station in KwaDukuza in northern KZN on Monday, Dlamini-Zuma addressed media. In response to a question on whether she was ready to become the country's deputy president, she said who becomes the deputy president is the president's prerogative.

"I've always said, if I'm asked to sweep the floor, I'll sweep it very clean - whatever I'm asked to do I will do."

During the ANC's national conference in December 2017, Ramaphosa emerged as ANC president in a closely contest race against Dlamini-Zuma, the preferred candidate of the party's Jacob Zuma loyalists.

Dlamini-Zuma was all smiles and gave a thumbs-up after casting her vote.

She urged South Africans to go to the polls on voting day and made a special appeal to the youth.

"It's a right that some people lost their lives for so it's a very important right. But it's also a crucial responsibility for every citizen who is over 18 to cast their vote, take their responsibility in deciding who should govern this country for the next five years."

She said voting was also a sign of being a good citizen.

"Young people must decide whether they want this party or that party to win and they shouldn't just sit and say 'oh we'll see what happens'."

She also warned South Africans against stopping others from voting.

"It would not be right for anyone to stop those who want to vote because as I said it's both a right and responsibility. It's not allowed, actually, for anyone to stop someone who wants to vote. If that is going to happen, I hope that the services that are meant to deal with that will be there to make sure that people who want to vote are allowed to vote and vote peacefully and freely," she said. 

Last week police minister Bheki Cele said KZN had been identified as a hostile province because of its many political killings.

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