South Africa should not have expected full disclosure from the expert negotiator who is ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa during talks of President Jacob Zuma's exit.
This is according to analysts who were responding to Ramaphosa's latest statement about ongoing meetings between him and the head of state.
"There has been a lot of speculation and anxiety about the position of [Zuma] as the head of state and government of our country... Last night, [Zuma] and I began direct discussions on the transition and matters relating to his position as the president of the republic. The discussions were constructive and [laid] the basis for a speedy resolution of the matter in the interests of the country and its people," Ramaphosa said.
He said a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed till the pair can conclude their discussions and report back to the ANC and the country "in the coming days".
Politics expert Theo Venter said Ramaphosa would not say, much because he is in the middle of determining the modalities of Zuma's exit.
"We are expecting too much of him while he is in the middle of negotiations. He is an old and experienced master negotiator, and he knows when to talk and when not to," Venter said.
"I don't think much will be forthcoming until the negotiations are over."
Ramaphosa went on to explain that he is aware that the uncertainty surrounding Zuma's position is a "cause for concern".
"I am certain that the process we have now embarked on will achieve an outcome that not only addresses these concerns, but also unites our people around the tasks that all of us must necessarily undertake to build our country," he said.
"This is a challenging time for our country. Both [Zuma] and myself are aware that our people want and deserve closure. The constructive process we have embarked on offers the greatest opportunity to conclude this matter without discord or division."