Most South Africans are heading into the weekend with the future of President Jacob Zuma on their minds. The political drama has been brewing since Cyril Ramaphosa succeeded Zuma as leader of the ruling African National Congress in December. CGTN's Angelo Coppola takes a look at what we know -- and what we don't.

It has all the elements of a good TV drama -- intrigue, suspense, a complicated lead character, and an heir apparent. And as President Jacob Zuma and ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa continue to hold discussions. South Africans are watching and waiting.

STEPHEN GROOTES JOURNALIST "The two are now doing a complicated dance to try and see who really is more powerful. In the final analysis though, I think Ramaphosa would have to be more powerful and he's now trying to make himself president through some sort of long complicated negotiation."

Many South Africans - from politicians to members of the public - are becoming impatient and frustrated by the closed-door talks.

CHRIS VICK STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT "People are very unhappy about that because it feels like a secret deal is being developed to give President Zuma a soft landing. Whereas what he needs is time in court, followed by some time in jail. On the other side what's developing is a real trust deficit in Ramaphosa himself. The feeling that this is a man who co-wrote our Constitution, the Constitution of South Africa, who's very familiar with the Constitution of the ANC, and yet is acting in a very unconstitutional way, doing back-door deals, putting out very mealy-mouthed statements that actually increase the anxiety."

Media stakeholders believe that most of the country has had enough of President Zuma, whose legacy is marred by corruption, high unemployment and a weak economy.

STEPHEN GROOTES JOURNALIST "I must say that in rural areas, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal you might find a slightly different picture, it might be more nuanced, but I think overwhelmingly, the big advantage that Ramaphosa has in this, is that public sentiment is on his side."

But Ramaphosa has his work cut for him. 

"He's got two things he needs to do. He needs to get Zuma out, but he also needs to keep the ANC together. And one can get in the way of the other. And that's really Ramaphosa's problem. He needs to be very careful, but he also needs to make certain that once Zuma is gone, he's gone. And that means he has to be utterly ruthless, when the time comes."

ANGELO COPPOLA JOHANNESBURG These are very uncertain times, economically, politically and emotionally for many South Africans who are waiting for some closure on this. I'm Angelo Coppola for CGTN in Sandton, South Africa.