Zuma says efforts to oust him 'unfair'

South African President Jacob Zuma has said ongoing efforts by the ruling ANC party to remove him from office were "unfair."

He said the party had not given him any reason for his ouster.

"It was very unfair to me that this issue is raised," he said in an interview with state broadcaster SABC on Wednesday. "Nobody has ever provided the reasons. Nobody is saying what I have done."

Zuma said his party had not followed proper procedures in trying to unseat him. He said he would issue a statement later Wednesday.

Earlier, ruling African National Congress party said the parliament could elect a new president as early as Thursday if Zuma steps down.

Read more: South Africa's President Zuma: A chronology of scandal

No confidence motion against Zuma

The party said it would back a no-confidence motion against the president on Thursday and replace him right away with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa if Zuma decides to defy the party's instructions to resign.

"We have now asked the chief whip to proceed with the motion of no-confidence tomorrow in parliament... so that President Zuma is then removed," ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told reporters Wednesday.

He said parliament would then "proceed to elect Ramaphosa as president of the republic" — perhaps as early as Thursday or Friday.

Mashatile's comments came just hours after South African police raided properties of Zuma associates the Gupta brothers, marking a dramatic escalation in pressure on Zuma and his aides, who have been accused of widespread corruption.

Read more: South Africa's power family, the Guptas: What you need to know

On Tuesday, the ANC ordered Zuma to step down as president of the country, without giving him a firm deadline. However, the party said it was sure he would comply and "respond" on Wednesday.

ap/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)

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