Maimane to MPs: 'I know what Mandela would have done'

DA leader Mmusi Maimane on Tuesday called on Members of Parliament to vote "for their hopes and not their fears."

Addressing them ahead of the vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma‚ Maimane said: "I know what Nelson Mandela would have done."

The vote‚ which will determine Zuma's future as the president of the country‚ was to happen in an unprecedented secret ballot.

"Voting in secret today means none of us have an excuse‚" he said.

He called on ANC MP's who have expressed their concern about Zuma's association with the Gupta family to use their conscience to vote.

"We may have different opinions but we are not enemies… I know you are tired of talking about President Zuma… So am I. I know you are tired of speaking about the Guptas‚" he said.

He called on all the MPs to remember their oath of office‚ when they vowed to put the interests of the country first.

"If we fail to use this opportunity‚ history will judge us harshly‚" he said.

Closing off his speech‚ Maimane said: "Let us remove this broken president from office."