Opposition parties are not giving up on their bid to get rid of Jacob Zuma and are already plotting their next move after the eighth motion of no confidence against the President failed on Tuesday.
The Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday it wants Parliament to be dissolved and early elections to be held.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane told a media briefing a motion to this effect would be tabled today, two days after the opposition won significant support from ANC MPs for a motion of no confidence in Zuma, but not enough for it to be passed by the National Assembly.
The outcome of the vote was 177 in favour of the motion and 198 against, with nine abstentions.
It means that at least 26 African National Congress MPs defied their chief whip’s instructions and voted with the opposition.
Maimane said: “Jacob Zuma survived yet again, protected by the party that elected him twice and shielded him from accountability countless times. South Africa now needs a new beginning.
“We believe the voters should now have the chance to express their opinion about the conduct of the ANC in defending Jacob Zuma. In short, we believe that Parliament should be dissolved now so that the country can hold an early election.”
Maimane added that South Africa’s current problems, including an economic recession and the extent of corruption allegations against Zuma, ministers and key institutions, constituted extraordinary circumstances that justified early elections.
Following the vote, an upbeat Zuma told supporters: “You came in numbers to demonstrate that the ANC is powerful. It is difficult to defeat the ANC. You can’t try.”
However, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba warned the ANC to strengthen its branches if it wants to win the 2019 elections overwhelmingly.
“The ANC can’t afford to govern this country with anything less than 60%,” he added.
Though it failed, the vote of no confidence in Zuma showed that the ANC can be turned, Economic Freedom Fighters’ leader Julius Malema said.
“We got 26 votes from the ANC direct and 35 indirect because there were nine abstentions. When we said to you we are eating an elephant bit by bit, we were not joking,” he said.
Meanwhile ANC tripartite alliance partners SACP and Cosatu have warned Zuma against victimising the party’s MPs who voted for his removal.
SACP acting spokesman Mhlekwa Nxumalo said the party was happy the motion against the president was not successful but reiterated that they still wanted him gone.
“Now it is up to the ANC to make sure that he goes on their own terms,” he said.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen pointed out that the constitution made provision for early national elections, provided three years had passed since the last ballot. Zuma won a second term as president in national elections in May 2014.
The motion would need a simple majority in the National Assembly to succeed.