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South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma says he has done nothing wrong and sees no reason to stand down.

Mr Zuma spoke after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) gave him an ultimatum to resign by the end of the day or face a parliamentary vote of no confidence on Thursday.

The 75-year-old has come under increasing pressure to resign amid numerous allegations of corruption.

But he said the ANC had failed to explain why he had been recalled.

"It was very unfair to me that this issue is raised," he told the national broadcaster SABC during a lengthy unannounced interview. "Nobody has ever provided the reasons. Nobody is saying what I have done."

He stressed that he was not defying the ANC but he disagreed with its decision to ask him to resign.

Mr Zuma said he had offered to go after June, but objected to the way the issue was currently being handled.

He said he would make a further statement later on Wednesday.

The ANC said it had noted Mr Zuma's televised comments but would await his promised later statement before responding further.

Earlier, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu announced that a motion of no-confidence in the president would be heard on Thursday, with Cyril Ramaphosa - who was elected ANC president in December - sworn in as the nation's president as soon as possible after that.

A meeting of the ANC's National Executive Committee had announced its decision to recall Mr Zuma on Tuesday and gave him until the end of Wednesday to resign.

In his TV interview, Mr Zuma made no reference to the early morning police raids and arrests carried out at the home of his close associates, the wealthy, Indian-born Gupta family, on Wednesday.

The Guptas have been accused of using their close friendship with the president to wield enormous political influence. Both parties deny all allegations of wrongdoing.