While the country is on tenterhooks about Cyril Ramaphosa's political future, the international community's concerns are around who could replace him.

Finance Minister and ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Enoch Godongwana says he has been inundated with questions about who is next in line in case President Cyril Ramaphosa is impeached through a parliamentary process, or is booted out because of pressure from his nemeses in the NEC.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the ANC NEC meeting which was supposed to take place on Friday 2 December.

"A number of people who are in the marketplace have been phoning me and sending me SMSes. One of the key questions they have been asking is not about whether he leaves but the person who will replace him," he said.

However Godongwana explained that a change in president would not have an adverse effect on South Africa's economy. He made reference to the times when former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were recalled, saying it did not have a real bearing on markets. He argues that if there was any decline at the time, it was due to other reasons.

"When you are talking about markets you are...