The Presidency has again clarified the postponement of Ahmed Kathrada’s memorial, this time to dispel reports that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was to blame for "cancelling the event".

"We wish to place it on record that Deputy President Ramaphosa did not cancel the memorial service, but requested a postponement," the Presidency said.

Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane on Tuesday placed the blame for the postponement squarely on Ramaphosa.

"The person who decided to postpone the memorial service indefinitely is comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, not [President Jacob] Zuma, but because everybody is passionate about talking bad [about] Zuma, even when the Presidency issued a statement, we never read about it," she complained.

The Presidency said Ramaphosa had been tasked with leading the government delegation and addressing the memorial event.

"On the eve of the scheduled memorial event, Deputy President Ramaphosa was of the view that inadequate preparations had been made to enable a successful official memorial service and that in view of political developments in the country, a postponement was required to afford South Africans an opportunity to honour Mr Kathrada with the requisite honour and dignity," the presidency said.

"Based on this assessment, Deputy President Ramaphosa requested the Director-General in The Presidency, Dr Cassius Lubisi, to convey to the Inter-Ministerial Committee the Deputy President’s suggestion that the memorial service be postponed until the situation is reassessed," they said.

Zuma had not been involved in these processes, according to the Presidency.

"Government is committed to honouring the late Mr Kathrada at an appropriate time in consultation with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the family.

"Such consultation is routinely undertaken in instances where distinguished South Africans are honoured with official funerals."

Further announcements would be made on the date and nature of the memorial as soon as they were finalised.

"We regret all the confusion... and hurt... that has been caused by this postponement."