As President Cyril Ramaphosa deals with a controversy that could cost him his job, the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party in South Africa plans to introduce a motion in parliament calling for an early election.

The president has been accused of covering up a $4m (£3.3m) theft from his farm in 2020, including kidnapping and bribing the burglars into silence. He denies any wrongdoing.

The country's parliament is set to examine a report on the scandal and decide whether or not to launch impeachment proceedings next week.

📣 Ramaphosa's #PhalaPhalaFarmGate confirms that the ANC is rotten from the top to the bottom.

"The DA calls for an early national election – not one involving delegates at an ANC conference, but one that gives all South Africans the opportunity to determine their future." pic.twitter.com/mXcMviTziv

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) December 1, 2022

DA leader John Steenhuisen said the country cannot leave it up to the ruling party to "choose the future of our country" - referring to the upcoming ANC conference where Mr Ramaphosa will seek a second term as the leader of the ruling party.

"The party of Nelson Mandela has become a cess pit of corruption, greed and dishonesty from top to bottom," said Mr Steenhuisen.

The motion for an early election would need a simple majority of 50% plus one of the national assembly to vote for the dissolution of government, which would then trigger an early election, he added.

Source: BBC