Thabo Mbeki, South Africa’s president, was fighting for his political life Friday night in the face of claims from his opponents in the ruling party that they have mustered sufficient support to topple him this weekend.

Senior party figures loyal to Jacob Zuma, his bitter rival and the party leader, are said to be pushing to force him from office. However, many analysts said the African National Congress would, at the eleventh hour, balk at terminating Mr Mbeki’s rule before the end is brought to his second and final term at elections due by the middle of next year.