President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed from his position as deputy trade minister a politician from the Democratic Alliance (DA), a key coalition partner of Ramaphosa's party the African National Congress (ANC).

Ramaphosa's office added in a statement on Thursday that the president was not planning a wholesale cabinet reshuffle.

A spokesperson for the DA said Ramaphosa's decision to remove Andrew Whitfield from his post as deputy Trade, Industry and Competition Minister was "a very serious development," adding that the party's Federal Executive would meet later on Thursday to discuss the matter.

Ramaphosa's office did not say why Whitfield had been removed from the cabinet.

The ANC and DA are the two biggest parties in the coalition government formed last year after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in an election.

The two parties have clashed over this year's budget and government policies to address racial inequality that has persisted since the end of apartheid.

The DA will give its position on Whitfield's sacking after its leadership has met, DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp told Reuters.