South African President Thabo Mbeki has accepted a call from the governing African National Congress (ANC) to stand down, his spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said.
African National Congress secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the top-level National Executive Committee has "decided to recall the president of the republic before his term of office expires".
Mantashe said that Mbeki accepted the news.
"He did not display shock ... he welcomed the news and agreed that he is going to participate in the process and the formalities."
Mbeki has lost a power struggle against his rival, ANC leader Jacob Zuma, and has been under pressure to quit following a judge's ruling last week that he was instrumental in Zuma being charged with corruption.
It was unclear whether Mbeki attended the meeting. It said several key government executives, including Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, would follow him and that South Africa's parliament would meet next week to formalise the process.
There was no immediate confirmation of this. If other key Cabinet ministers do decide to quit in solidarity with Mbeki, there could be turmoil in Africa's economic and political powerhouse.
All eyes are on Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, who shares the credit with Mbeki for South Africa's sustained economic growth and investor friendly policies over the past decade.
Mbeki succeeded Nelson Mandela in 1999 and was due to stand down next year. If he is forced out of office, it will be a devastating humiliation to a man who devoted his life to the ANC and who is regarded as one of Africa's most respected statesmen.
