President Jacob Zuma is facing a crisis of "his own making", and now he is dismantling his office following an apparent breakdown of relationship with his director-general.

Zuma's spokesman Vincent Magwenya and senior communications aide Steyn Speed have resigned, while there are plans to push or redeploy - depending on the interpretation and the spin of the sources - director-general Vusi Mavimbela and deputy director-general of communications Vusi Mona.

Senior communications aide Nomfanelo Kota, who was seconded to the presidency, is returning to the Department of International Relations and Co-operation.

This follows the resignation of Jessie Duarte as chief operating officer three months ago - who followed his predecessor Trevor Fowler - and former policy chief in the presidency Joel Netshitenzhe eight months ago.

Independent Newspapers understands that the relationship between Zuma and Mavimbela was at its lowest ebb, with the president no longer having confidence in his director-general.

However, a government official said the two had different visions, but Mavimbela was apparently peeved by the fact that Zuma deferred to his head of private office, Lakela Kaunda, creating tensions between the director-general and the chief of staff.

The relationship, according to another government official, reached an ugly apex after Zuma failed to declare his interests.

The president apparently felt that his director-general, who was supposed to have dealt with the issue in his capacity as cabinet secretary - has failed him.

More so after Fowler - in his handover notes last year - wrote to Mavimbela about the declaration of interests for the president.

However, a Luthuli House official said Zuma shouldn't have appointed Mavimbela in the first place, with the government official also saying the president "appointed people that he neither trusted nor relied upon".

"He doesn't trust half of his advisors and he rarely speaks to them," says the Luthuli House official.

It is believed that Zuma is intending to offer Mavimbela a diplomatic posting to end the relationship on an amicable note. Mavimbela did not return a text message left for him yesterday.

Mona was embroiled in a tug-of-war with Kaunda about the communications strategy of the presidency.

However, Mona was stripped of staff and the presidential hotline was moved to the Minister in the Presidency, Collins Chabane.

It is understood that some in the presidency were beginning to question the rationale of keeping Mona at a salary of deputy director-general while the majority of his staff report to Kaunda.

Independent Newspapers also understands that there are "plans" to move him to GCIS, a government communications arm to fill a post left by Baby Tyawa, who was deputy director-general.

Mona said yesterday that he did not know about his deployment and referred queries to Chabane and GCIS chief executive officer Themba Maseko. Maseko said he was not aware of Mona's deployment. Chabane's spokesman Harold Maloka could not be reached for comment.

Speed - who is due to leave next month - is understood to have asked the presidency when he accepted his offer last year that he would only serve for one year and would want to study. Speed declined to comment yesterday.

Magwenya has been unhappy for some time and this was exacerbated by Zuma hiring Zizi Kodwa as communications advisor.

By IOL