The Congress of the People will move for a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma when Parliament resumes this week, deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa said on Monday.

"We derive no pleasure from dealing with this matter. Ours is not about the humiliation of the president of the Republic," he told a media briefing following a meeting of the party's top brass over the weekend.

The motion would be called because of the impact of Zuma's behaviour on the country.

Shilowa said the focus of the entire country was on Zuma due to his indiscretion when it should be on the issues ordinary South Africans face such as unemployment, poverty and HIV and Aids.

International "laughing stock"

Cope general secretary Charlotte Lobe said South Africa had become a "laughing stock" internationally, because Zuma "failed to heed his own government's call on the pandemic".

She was referring to the HIV and Aids pandemic and said Zuma had not adhered to the government's programme on abstinence, being faithful and using condoms.

"His sexual advances to the children of his friends... goes to the heart of his moral bankruptcy.

"President Jacob Zuma is not fit for office. He has tarnished the image of the Republic," she said.

Cope leadership resignation demanded

The leadership of Cope was on Monday locked in a meeting with the party's youth, which had called for the resignation of the party's top leadership.

The youth accused the leadership of failing the fledgling party, charging that it had a "dysfunctional" political and organisational structure.

Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota, who was flanked by Shilowa, said the meeting with the youth was "proceeding well".

"... All of us are satisfied that at the end of it all the necessary steps will be taken to lead us to a better position," he said.

The party is to hold its policy conference in March and an elective conference before the end of May.

National organiser Mluleki George was adamant that the party would be ready to hold the all important conferences.

"This decision is not just an impromptu decision... we do have the membership that will attend that congress," he said.

Cope remained mum on its membership figures, Lobe said it was in the process of an audit to finalise them.