According to the party's former chief Whip in Emfuleni, Simon Nkosi, who quit last week, there are plans to oust Maimane.

His claim comes as Maimane's popularity appears to be dwindling within party structures, with the blue wave limping from crisis to crisis.

According to City Press, Maimane's detractors could call for an early congress.

The determining factor will be whether he's able to lead the party beyond the 22% it attained in the 2014 polls.

Nkosi said he has lost confidence in the party and Maimane.

He believes the plan to get rid of the opposition leader was hedged even before his re-election last year.

"There's a group of people going around saying at the next national congress Mmusi needs to go out. I know, I have been contacted so many times," he said.

"They realised that we are near elections, and the most important elections, and we cannot take that move yet because we have not tested Mmusi Maimane nationally."

That push, eNCA understands from two separate sources, has come from the so-called "liberals" within the party at a national level.

Last week the head of policy, Gwen Ngwenya, also vacated her office. 

She cited a lack of policy direction as one of her reasons.

eNCA