Cape Town city council calls for Zuma's resignation

"Today, the majority of the councillors in the City of Cape Town Council join the calls for President Jacob Zuma to step down as the President of South Africa," the city said in a statement.

The council voted in favour of a motion which condemned Zuma's failure to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution. The motion also resolved to defend and protect the Constitution as the supreme law of the country and ultimately called on Zuma to resign from office.

The council said while it was every South African's responsibility to defend the Constitution, the responsibility was heightened for public servants.

Zuma 'unmoved'

The council found Zuma was unmoved by calls for him to act honourably and take responsibility for his actions, it said.Earlier, the Democratic Alliance said it would lobby the council to add its voice to the calls for Zuma to resign.

The African National Congress' Khaya Yozi said they had tried to get the issue removed from the orders of the day in council, but the request had been ignored.

Yozi had described it as a political gimmick. "Council has no authority to remove the president. Section 11 of the Municipal System Act is explicit in terms of the executive authority and legislative authority of municipalities," he said.

During the vote, ANC councillors chose to abstain from the motion.

In Parliament, the ANC has repeatedly used its majority to defeat the DA's votes of no confidence in Zuma.

(File photo: Getty Images)