Port Elizabeth - Opposition parties in Nelson Mandela Bay took to the streets on Tuesday joining the call to have President Jacob Zuma ousted from power.
Several anti and pro Zuma marches were planned across the country ahead of the motion of no confidence vote by secret ballot.
Members from EFF, DA, UDM, ACDP, COPE and the Save South Africa movement unified and marched for close on two hours along the IPTS route to Port Elizabeth City Hall.
Receiving a petition at City Hall, Executive Mayor Athol Trollip, said that while some ministers previously mustered the courage to speak out against Zuma in public, now was the time to speak out in secret voting.
"I don't share everyone's excitement in this country with the decision of a secret ballot.
"Many of those people who spoke out against President Zuma voted for him in the previous votes of no confidence..and that is the problem, even the heroes will be unknown, the cowards will be unknown. We demand in society that responsibility goes with leadership, that we should know where the people are voting," said Trollip.
EFF councillor Yoliswa Yako called on MPs to remove a man she believed had the power to have the country downgraded to junk status.
Yako said despite political differences, ideology or race, people needed to join forces.
"We want to say appeal to your conscience, appeal to your inner self. Think about your children and generations to come who are going to be affected by the decisions that you make today. Please vote this man out, we want you to vote with your minds," said Yako.
Joining in on the march to the city hall, Deputy Mayor Mongameli Bobani was in high spirits ahead of the vote by secret ballot.
Bobani was confident that Zuma would be removed.
"Some of my friends in the ANC they are with us, they will vote for South Africa.
"South Africa will win today and members of Parliament will vote by conscience," said Bobani.
DA Provincial Leader, Nqaba Bhanga, said that the poor were jobless and unable to buy meat and mealie meal because of a "continued thief, criminal and mafia" in power.
Bhanga called for both the removal of Zuma and the ANC party.
"Because the policies of the ANC are the same policies that continue to fail the people of South Africa. The whole ANC is corrupt to the core," said Bhanga.