When Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa wins December's African National Congress (ANC) elective conference, he must send President Jacob Zuma to live in Nkandla, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.

Gordhan told a conference in Cape Town that his preferred candidate to become the next ANC and South African president is Ramaphosa.

While Zuma's term as ANC president ends in December, his term as the country's president ends in 2019 when the next general election will take place.

However, Gordhan wants Zuma removed as the country’s president as early as January.

"Ramaphosa must take over in December and in January he must tell Zuma to go live in Nkandla," he said.

"Change must start as soon as we can."

Failed state

Asked if the Zuma faction will try delay the conference if their predictions show their candidate - Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - will lose, Gordhan said: "The constitution of the ANC requires that the conference has to happen.

"Those who think that they may not get their way will behave in a disruptive way," he said.

"There are about 70 days before the conference and a lot can happen.

"There is a formidable contest between those who have no interest in building from the present and just want to extract from the state against those who want to build from the present."

He called on the financial advisers in the room to prepare to mobilise to ensure the country does not sink into a failed state amid allegations of State capture and corruption.

"Big historical events happen when people get into the streets," he said.

"Start preparing your walking shoes. All of you have to get involved."

Referring to the international focus on South Africa, Gordhan said those looting the State coffers are getting desperate.

"The space for these guys is narrowing and so the pace of looting is increasing," he said.

"This desperation will impact on what form the [ANC] conference takes place. There is a link between the two."