Updated February 05, 2018 13:28:05

Photo: President Jacob Zuma has so far refused to resign. (AP: Themba Hadebe)

Top officials from South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) have met with President Jacob Zuma, amid growing pressure for the 75-year old leader to step down as head of state.

Mr Zuma, who is battling corruption allegations, has been in a weakened position since he was replaced as leader of the ANC in December by Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president.

The ANC did not say what had been decided at the meeting between Mr Zuma and the party's "top six" leadership team at Mr Zuma's home in Pretoria, but it summoned its National Working Committee (NWC) to an urgent meeting on Monday afternoon (local time).

The NWC conducts the day-to-day running of the party.

It would need to call a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee to force Mr Zuma to quit.

Opposition leader Julius Malema, a former ANC member, said Mr Zuma had refused to resign at the meeting late on Sunday.

"He refused to resign and he told them to take a decision to remove him if they wish to do so because he didn't do anything wrong to the country," Mr Malema wrote on Twitter.

Mr Malema was one of the first to disclose that Mr Ramaphosa had won the race to succeed Mr Zuma as ANC leader in December.

Mr Zuma has been deserted by several prominent allies in the ANC since Mr Ramaphosa became leader of what is the only party to govern South Africa since the end of apartheid.

Photo: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela hugs President Jacob Zuma (L) and ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa (R) at an ANC conference in December. (AP: Themba Hadebe)

Mr Ramaphosa, who is in a strong position to become the next president of South Africa, has been lobbying for Mr Zuma's removal.

Mr Zuma has not said whether he will step down voluntarily before his second term as president ends next year.

Opposition parties want Mr Zuma to resign before his state of the nation address to parliament, which is scheduled for Thursday.

The speaker of parliament said on Friday that Mr Zuma would face a fresh no-confidence motion on February 22.

Mr Zuma has survived several no-confidence votes during his rule thanks to loyal voting by ANC MPs, but support for his leadership is on the wane.

Although Mr Zuma retains the support of a faction within the ANC, he no longer holds a top post.

Reuters

Topics: world-politics, corruption, south-africa

First posted February 05, 2018 13:25:38