Johannesburg – Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane on Saturday said if President Jacob Zuma doesn't jump, he would be pushed.
Maimane said in a statement that Zuma's decision to fire Treasury leadership and replace them with "servants of corruption" had sparked the country into action.
"The groundswell of unity among South Africans, from the clergy to NGOs; from the opposition to senior members within the ANC, following Jacob Zuma's hostile takeover of the Treasury and selling of the country to a cabal of looters and liars, leave Zuma with two options; jump or be pushed," Maimane said.
He said a petition had already received close to 300 000 signatures – all calling for Zuma to be removed.
"Ultimately, it is the National Assembly that has the duty and Constitutional authority to remove the president when he does not act in the interests of the country, the people and the economy," he said.
Maimane said the National Assembly had hired Zuma and it was now time to fire him.
He said National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete should reconvene the Assembly for a special sitting to debate and vote on a Motion of No Confidence in Zuma.
"This is not a DA Motion of No Confidence, it is the people's Motion of No Confidence."
Maimane also added that it was in the interest of the country that political parties support Zuma's removal.
He said they would take their message to ANC's doorstep on Friday, April 7, to remind Cyril Ramaphosa, Jackson Mthembu, Derek Hanekom and others of their primary duty.
"One man cannot hold 56 million South Africans hostage," he said.
On Friday the Western Cape High Court dismissed the party's bid to have the swearing in of Zuma's new Cabinet ministers interdicted.
Maimane filed the motion on Thursday afternoon, before the president's reshuffle at midnight.