The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says President Cyril Ramaphosa has committed to allowing the African National Congress's (ANC's) alliance partners a chance to air their views on an inter-ministerial report into the state of the North West province before it is presented to the ANC's national executive committee meeting this weekend.

The comments were made by the federation's general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, on the side-lines of its central executive committee meeting in Braamfontein on Tuesday.

This was shortly after Ramaphosa addressed the central executive committee (CEC), describing the meeting as "positive".

The president of the ANC is attempting to quell tensions between the political party and its alliance partners - Cosatu, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and civic organisation Sanco - after relations hit an all-time low, with the three organisations calling for the ANC to recall former president Jacob Zuma as head of state.

There were also threats of a split, with some in the SACP calling for it to contest 2019 elections on its own.

Ntshalintshali, speaking on the violent protests which broke out in the North West this month and calls for Premier Supra Mahumapelo to step down, said Cosatu had raised the matter with Ramaphosa.

News24 has learnt that Mahumapelo is expected to resign on Wednesday, following a heated meeting between officials and the provincial leadership, including Mahumapelo.

"He tried to brief us in terms of things happening in the North West. He indicated that, at some point, there was a name suggested, but the alliance partners said no ways in terms of that particular name," Ntshalintshali explained.

He said Ramaphosa had told the CEC that the ANC had been meeting with the provincial executive committee of the party in the platinum-rich province.

A report by the inter-ministerial committee - which is being led by Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - would be tabled at the NEC meeting over the weekend.

'Things are terrible in the North West'

"He indicated his willingness to engage with the alliance before that report is tabled, which we take to be positive work… that we don't read about it in newspapers," said Ntshalintshali.

This would be a departure from what had become the norm in the alliance, as they had previously complained that Zuma would not give alliance partners prior notice before taking certain decisions as both head of state and president of the ANC.

"We will be privy to that report and be able to comment before the NEC takes a final decision on the report," said Ntshalintshali. The NEC is meeting this weekend.

Ntshalintshali said developments in the troubled province were a reflection of an ANC that was not moving in one direction.

He also lamented the slow pace of progress and uncertainty which had characterised the tension in the North West.

"The evidence on the ground is clearly indicating there are problems in the North West and, for government to gain credibility, it needs to move with speed and move with the people, rather than find excuses," said Ntshalintshali.

He said there was a clear indication that numerous departments in the North West were dysfunctional and needed to be placed under administration.

"Things are terrible in the North West," he concluded.