Communications minister Faith Muthambi has fallen out with her deputy, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, it was reported on Sunday.

Ndabeni-Abrahams, who was deputy minister of communications under both Dina Pule and Yunus Carrim before being transferred to the newly created communications ministry in 2014 after the old ministry was renamed as telecommunications & postal services, has accused Muthambi of treating her as if she is her personal assistant.

The ministry of communications has political oversight of the SABC and communications regulator Icasa, among others. It is also in charge of South Africa’s long-delayed analogue to digital television migration project.

The Sunday Times said it has seen “internal documents” that show that Muthambi wanted to move approval of Ndabeni-Abrahams’ travel arrangements to her office. The newspaper quoted the deputy minister as saying that the two have “no working relationship”.

“Ever since we were appointed, we have never had a relationship. She says she felt like she had too much energy, that she can do everything by herself … I assume that is how she felt,” Ndabeni-Abrahams is quoted as having said.

She accused Muthambi of sidelining her by not involving her in the department’s projects.

“I am not a PA,” the newspaper quoted the deputy minister as saying.