Johannesurg - The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants Parliament to be dissolved so that an early election can be called.
This is the party’s latest attempt to remove President Jacob Zuma from office.
The DA's Mmusi Maimane said on Wednesday that dissolving Parliament was the only option that could allow South Africans to air their views about Jacob Zuma's presidency.
General elections are only scheduled to take place in 2019, and it's unknown whether the DA's proposal will succeed.
The party plans to file the motion on Thursday and wants it to be debated in Parliament soon
Maimane's announcement followed his party's failed motion of no confidence vote against Zuma on Tuesday.
The motion was defeated by 198 votes against the motion and 177 votes for the motion. The margin of difference between the votes has surprised a number of people with opposition parties saying it signals the possibility of Zuma being removed from power.
Confident from Tuesday’s vote of no confidence, Maimane said dissolving Parliament was needed for a “fresh start” in removing a “illegitimate government”.
"As such, the DA has taken a decision – in terms of Section 50 of the Constitution - to move a motion in the National Assembly to dissolve Parliament and for an early general election to be held," said Maimane.
"Section 50 of our Constitution states that the President must dissolve the National Assembly if the Assembly has adopted a resolution to dissolve with a supporting vote of a majority of its members, and three years have passed since the Assembly was elected," he said.
The party has also vowed to continue with its legal action against Zuma, and will be joining the EFF’s impeachment proceedings at the Constitutional Court.
Politics and Development Bureau