Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen wants all members of the National Assembly, regardless of party or affiliation, to support its Section 50(1) Motion, which he says he will table in the National Assembly against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The DA wants a majority vote for the dissolution of government, which would then trigger an early election.

Steenhuisen said the hand-over of the independent panel’s report into the Phala Phala allegations represented a seismic shift in South African politics, where a sitting President stands accused of breaching the Constitution.

He noted that if Ramaphosa is recalled now, the country will end up with a “corrupt” President David Mabuza and if Ramaphosa survives until the African National Congress (ANC) elective conference only to be defeated, the country will end up with a “corrupt” President Zweli Mkhize.

“And if President Ramaphosa somehow triumphs at the conference we’re stuck with a corrupt President Ramaphosa, whose focus will be on his own political survival rather than on the good of the nation,” he said.

Steenhuisen stressed that now was not a time for cheap point-scoring and also urged caution against the proliferation of small parties and new movements that are being added to the country’s political landscape every few months.

He said the myth of the “two ANCs” has now been shattered.

“Now is the time to stand up and be counted. The Democratic Alliance calls for a national election – not one involving 4 000 delegates at an ANC conference, but one that gives all South Africans the opportunity to determine their future,” he said.

He went on to urge South African’s to not become despondent and added that what looks like a crisis could be a leap forward for democracy.