Cape Town – The office of the Presidency on Friday responded to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's comments that while he accepts President Jacob Zuma was acquitted of raping Khwezi, he would still believe her allegation.

"The Presidency has noted the media reports attributed to the deputy president of the Republic who is quoted as having stated that he believed the version presented by Khwezi in the criminal proceedings between State v JG Zuma when he was interviewed on one of the radio stations," the Presidency said in a statement.

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"The rape allegations against President Zuma were properly considered by a judge of the High Court. Having evaluated the totality of the evidence, the court acquitted the president of the rape charges," it continued.

Ramaphosa, pressed for a response by 702's Karima Brown in a radio interview on Thursday on whether he believed Khwezi – whose real name was Fezekile Kuzwayo – eventually replied: "Yes, I would believe her."

This, after he prefaced his response with a more diplomatic answer, initially saying he had to go with the outcome of the court case in 2006, in which Zuma was acquitted.

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He did however also say he understood how difficult it is for women to come forward with allegations of sexual violence, and he had sympathy for Khwezi.

The office of the Presidency however reiterated that the courts' primacy on the matter.

"The Presidency affirms the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of the courts as the final arbiters in disputes in society."