President Jacob Zuma's dithering on declaring his assets is not an isolated case, but has a precedent in a similar controversy when he was deputy president, the Congress of the People said on Wednesday.

"We should not look at it in isolation but rather in the context of other cases where questions have been raised about the president's declaration," Cope parliamentary leader Mvume Dandala told reporters.

Zuma corruption trial

Dandala recalled that during the corruption trial of Zuma's former financial advisor Schabir Shaik, "[Judge Hilary] Squires asked questions about the adequateness of the president, who was then the deputy president's, declarations".

Zuma was probed in 2003 for contravening Parliament's code of ethics by not disclosing gifts and benefits, including from Shaik.

Two years later, Squires found that there was overwhelming evidence of a corrupt relationship between Zuma and Shaik. Zuma was then fired as deputy president and stepped down as MP, sparing him further parliamentary scrutiny in that regard.

Cope said that Zuma had reached the point where he no longer had any moral authority to fight corruption, rendering him powerless to rein in ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema.

"His failure in not disclosing his financial affairs to Parliament, as required by law, leaves him as a lame duck."

The party pointed out that in 2008, the National Prosecuting Authority claimed that Zuma had failed to disclose to the revenue services and to Parliament 583 payments he received from Shaik.

Zuma's private, political life pointed out

In 2007, an indictment filed against Zuma in the Pietermaritzburg High Court stated that he had failed to submit tax returns between 1995 and 2003 and to declare taxable income of R2.7-million.

"Is it then any wonder that President Zuma is so helpless in dealing with Malema or with all of the conflicts of interest within his Cabinet and among senior government officials?"

Cope communications chief Phillip Dexter said party members in Limpopo were mulling legal action on tenders awarded to Malema and others in the province following revelations that companies linked to the youth league president drew state tenders worth more than R140-million.

He added that Cope also wanted to launch practical measures to fight widespread petty corruption, which would include sending MPs and branch leaders to accompany members of the public to government offices where officials demanded bribes.

Dandala cautioned that South Africa was on a slippery slope that could send it down the same route of kleptocracy taken by the former Zaire under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko.

Motion of no confidence

He said Cope hoped a date would be set soon when the party's vote of no confidence in Zuma would be debated.

Dandala said Cope expected to have the support of opposition parties and disgruntled ANC MPs. The ANC has dismissed the move as a cheap stunt.

Dandala denied this, saying Zuma's fathering a love child with Irvin Khoza's daughter while preaching abstinence in the fight against Aids, had shown the president was incapable of the very things he called on the public to do.