ANC set to oust embattled SA President Jacob Zuma on Thursday

South Africa's parliament will hold a vote of no-confidence in President Jacob Zuma on Thursday, the ruling ANC party said, signalling its determination to eject him from office after days of stalemate.

"We have now asked the chief whip to proceed with the motion of no confidence tomorrow in parliament so that President Zuma is then removed," ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told reporters on Wednesday.

He said parliament, where the ANC has a large majority, would then "proceed to elect (Cyril) Ramaphosa as president of the republic" -- perhaps as early as Thursday or Friday.

Zuma, who now faces an inglorious end to his nine scandal-plagued years in power, was expected to respond later on Wednesday to the ANC's order for him to resign.

"For us, as the ANC leadership, we can no longer wait beyond today," Mashatile said.

"If President Zuma at some point will respond, he will respond, but we can't continue waiting. The decision has been taken and must be implemented."

The power struggle over Zuma's departure has put him at loggerheads with deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, his expected successor, who is the new head of the ANC.

As the deadlock escalated, the party on Tuesday "recalled" Zuma from his post after days of failed closed-door negotiations with Ramaphosa.

The African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee reached its decision after meeting for 13 hours at a hotel outside Pretoria.

"Recalling" the head of state is a party-level instruction that the 75-year-old Zuma is under no constitutional obligation to obey.

Police raid

Earlier Wednesday, police raided the Johannesburg home of the Gupta business family accused of overseeing a web of corruption under Zuma's rule.

Police said three unidentified people had been arrested in investigations into "Vrede Farm" -- allegations that millions of dollars of public money meant for poor dairy farmers was siphoned off by the Guptas.

Local media reported that Zuma was pushing for an exit deal that included covering his potentially ruinous legal fees from prolonged court battles against multiple criminal charges.

One case relates to 783 payments he allegedly received linked to an arms deal before he came to power.

Many other graft allegations against him have centred on the three Gupta brothers, who are accused of unfairly obtaining lucrative government contracts and even being able to choose Zuma's ministerial appointments.

Zuma has admitted he is friends with the Guptas, originally from India, but has denied any wrongdoing.

Susan Booysen, a politics professor at Stellenbosch University, said that Zuma may resign before the vote, albeit grudgingly.