Addressing thousands of people during an African National Congress rally in Ngwelezane, outside Empangeni, Zuma proposed introducing a national tollfree number where people could report corruption.

The number would also be used to report lazy government officials.

"This is my idea that I want to put forward. The number will not only have to report corruption, but will also ensure that there is constant communication between the presidency and people on the ground," he said.

Zuma said he had noticed that very few people were reporting corruption.

He also said a performance monitoring structure would ensure that dead wood was removed from government.

"The structure will ensure that lazy people are removed from government and replaced with competent ones."

He said there were government officials who thought they were bigger than people.

"The structure will also make sure that corruption cases are dealt with speedily because at the moment we have many people who are suspended with full pay for a long time."

Earlier on Tuesday, the party said it had penetrated the strongholds of its arch-rival, the IFP.

"People have made a shift from the IFP to the ANC," said ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte ahead of Zuma's appearance at the rally in KwaZulu-Natal.

"They have shifted in huge numbers. Our rallies in the so-called IFP strongholds are attended by thousands of people," she said.

She was quick to point out the ANC had not grown because of Zuma's popularity.

"We hear people saying that the ANC support has grown because of Zuma's popularity. That's not true. Zuma is not a populist. People have moved to the ANC because they have seen what the ANC has done," she said.

However snap surveys conducted by Sapa during ANC rallies showed that some people moved to the ANC because they liked Zuma.

After addressing a rally in Phoenix on Tuesday evening, Zuma would return to Johannesburg to prepare for the ANC's final rally in Coca-Cola Park stadium on Sunday.