Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip John Steenhuisen has reiterated that his party would not approve any exit package for President Jacob Zuma, and insists that a prisoner's outfit should be his exit package.

These were his words to the party faithful in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday night, when he was mobilising support ahead of the August 2 by-election in Msunduzi Municipality.

"To us the best exit package for Zuma is ensuring that he wears the orange uniform in prison [rather] than taking money when he has taken so much already," said Steenhuisen.

As the DA prepares for another battle in Parliament over the motion of no confidence against Zuma in August, Steenhuisen said the upcoming by-election would serve as a booster to the opposition party.

"We want to go Parliament with a spring in our steps knowing that we have defeated the ANC in ward 32 in Pietermaritzburg. A win in the by-election will amount to a motion of no confidence in Zuma. Do not take this by election lightly," the chief whip warned members.

2019 elections

While there had been talk in many circles over the prospects of the African National Congress in the post-Zuma era, Steenhuisen dismissed both the frontrunners Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa, saying their loyalty to the ruling party meant that they were compromised.

He added that Ramaphosa's sudden voice against corruption in government was questionable, while Dlamini-Zuma's past record in government was questionable.

"Where was Ramaphosa all these years when government corruption became rampant? As for Dr Dlamini- Zuma we all know what happened with the Sarafina debacle."

He promised that the opposition would work hard at ensuring that the African National Congress scored below the 50% mark in the 2019 elections.

He said the current crisis in the Hawks, National Directorate of Public Prosecutions could be traced to politically motivated appointments: Something which he said would end once the DA was in government.

Steenhuisen lamented Zuma's leadership, saying it had turned a party that was once a liberation movement into a multi-billion rand criminal network.

He accused the ruling party leadership of deliberately driving SA toward junk status that would not affect them, but badly impact poor people who rely on government for goods and services.

The by-elections in ward 32 followed the resignation of councillor of Uraisha Haswell (DA), who cited personal commitments behind the move.