Outgoing Public Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi was not informed that his time as member of President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet had come to an end.

Speaking to News24 while playing a game of golf on Friday morning, he said he had accepted that Zuma no longer wanted him to serve as a minister.

"I serve at the pleasure of the president and leave at the pleasure of the president; it's as simple as that.

"At the moment, it's water under the bridge."

He told News24 he wanted to focus on his golf, "activating his business interests", and do a bit of writing.

"Government, it's not for me," he laughed.

Best-run government departments

Zuma also sacked ministers Pravin Gordhan (finance), Derek Hanekom (tourism), Tina Joemat-Pettersson (energy), and Dipuo Peters (transport).

Members of the tripartite alliance had called on Zuma not to replace Gordhan as the country's finance minister, as he was leading one of the best-run government departments.

African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe has since told the media that Zuma did not consult the other five top ANC officials, but merely informed them of his decision.

Ramatlhodi, who was previously moved from the Department of Mineral Resources, said he had served the country well. He had been in public office in one way or another since 1994.

He said he intended raising the manner in which Zuma made his decision at an ANC national executive committee meeting.

He recently urged Zuma to put the interests of South Africans first when considering which ministers to retain.

"I am one very principled guy. I will say my thoughts when I need to, in private or in public."

Ramatlhodi hoped that government would become stronger and more efficient, as Zuma had said, when giving reasons for the Cabinet shake-up.

"I want to believe him," Ramatlhodi said. He urged South Africans not to be disheartened.