ANC bristles, while opposition pushes for Zuma to be removed

That is the warning from ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu ahead of next week's motion of no confidence vote in President Jacob Zuma in Parliament.

Briefing the media today, Mthembu warned any ANC MP who votes in favour of the motion will only strengthen opposition parties and not the Constitution.

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ANC MPs Dr Makhosi Khoza and Mondli Gungubele have already hinted they would support such a motion.

The former finance minister Pravin Gordhan also stated he would vote according to his conscience.

"It's them that would have removed the president," Mthembu said about his own party's members.

"It is therefore unthinkable that members who were deployed by a party as its members of parliament would usurp the authority of the party that deployed them and remove another member, deployed as a president.

"Only a bewitched party would do so."

But opposition parties are adamant that Zuma's time in office is coming to an end.

In a joint statement by a number of opposition parties and civil society organisations, they confirmed they would march to Parliament on Tuesday ahead of the vote.

"Opposition parties and civil society formations will lead thousands of South Africans to send a clear message to parliamentarians to stand with the people and remove Zuma from office," reads the statement.

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At the same time United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa told the Cape Town Press Club that his party's struggle against state capture is far from over.

"Whatever the speaker's decision, we remain resolved to rid South Africa of a president who's primary occupation is the total collapse of our country," he says.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete is yet to decide on whether the motion should be by way of secret ballot.