Cape Town - Opposition parties on Monday called for the dissolution of Parliament and fresh elections be held to elect a new president.
The resolution came after leaders of the Democratic Allliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Congress of the People (Cope), Pan African Congress (PAC), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) met on Monday.
"The collective of leaders of opposition parties feel that it is urgent and therefore naturally Parliament must convene urgently," said DA leader Mmusi Maimane, adding opposition parties would not be part of "discussions in the bush", referring to a national executive committee meeting of the ruling ANC which will likely decide President Jacob Zuma's future.
Maimane said Parliament had already been found to have failed to hold Zuma accountable in the Constitutional Court Nkandla judgment and should now do the right thing.
"Therefore it is the view if you want to uphold the Constitution of South Africa, it is the view of the collective here of leaders, we need to move ahead and apply section 50 of the Constitution...proceed to the dissolution of Parliament," he said.
EFF leader Julius Malema said they are still waiting for a reply from Speaker Baleka Mbete on a request that a motion of no confidence in Zuma be brought forward from the original date of February 22 to this week.
"If Baleka has not responded to the EFF letter of bringing forward motion of no confidence by tomorrow (February 13), the EFF is going to launch an urgent application in court because we are in a crisis...," said Malema.
Malema said whether Zuma leaves or stays, the country still faces a Constitutional crisis.
"To think that when Zuma leaves our problems are going to disappear is disingenuous, its unrealistic."
Politics Hub and African News Agency/ANA