South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma has resigned from his office with immediate effect.
He made the announcement in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, Mr Zuma's governing ANC party told him to step down or face a vote of no confidence in parliament.
The 75-year-old has been under increasing pressure to give way to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC's new leader.
Mr Zuma, who has been in power since 2009, faces numerous allegations of corruption.
Earlier on Wednesday, police swooped on the Johannesburg home of the powerful and wealthy Gupta family with whom Mr Zuma has close ties.
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'Disciplined ANC member'
He began his resignation speech by laughing and joking with members of the press, asking them why they looked so serious.
After paying tribute to those whom he had worked with over the years, Mr Zuma said that violence and division within the ANC had influenced his decision to step down.
"No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect," he said.
"Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC.
"As I leave I will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC, the organisation I have served... all of my life."
Zuma era ends but democracy is intact
Analysis: Andrew Harding, BBC News, Johannesburg
It was a weary Jacob Zuma who appeared before the cameras to say goodbye.
He admitted that he'd made mistakes - that he wasn't perfect - adding, none of us are. A grumbling defiance flickered through much of his speech.
Mr Zuma said all he had asked of his beloved party was a few more months to hand over power, and for someone to explain what he'd done wrong.
As for the threat of impeachment, or a vote of no confidence - he said those didn't scare him.
Mr Zuma seemed oddly preoccupied and offended by the suggestion that he might be worried about losing the perks of the job. Not true.
Finally, he announced he was resigning with immediate effect - even, he couldn't help adding, if he still disagreed with the ANC's decision.
And so, the Zuma era ends. South Africa's young, but robust democracy, still intact.
The ANC (African National Congress) issued a statement saying Mr Zuma's resignation provided "certainty to the people of South Africa".
Deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte told reporters: "President Zuma remains a principled member of the ANC. The ANC wants to salute the outstanding contribution he has made."
Mr Zuma, a former member of the ANC's military wing in the days of apartheid, rose through the ranks of the party to become president. He led the country for more than a third of its time after apartheid.
But he leaves office with several scandals hanging over him, and with South Africa's economy in dire straits.
What led up to Zuma's resignation?
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.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu then announced a parliamentary motion of no-confidence for Thursday, with Mr Ramaphosa sworn in as president as soon as possible after that.
Mr Zuma's resignation capped a day of fast-moving events.
It began with early morning police raids and arrests at the Johannesburg home of his close associates, the wealthy, Indian-born Gupta family.
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.
Mr Zuma made no reference to the raid when he held a lengthy, unannounced, interview with national broadcaster SABC hours later.
But he said he had done nothing wrong and saw no reason to stand down.
Jacob Zuma's life in seven key dates
- April 1942: Born into poverty in northern KwaZulu-Natal, he is raised by his widowed mother and receives no formal schooling
- 1959: Joins the ANC. He becomes an active member of its military wing in 1962
- August 1963: Aged 21, he is convicted of conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government and imprisoned on Robben Island, alongside Nelson Mandela, for 10 years
- March 1990: After a period in exile, he returns to South Africa when a ban on the ANC is lifted - he is elected to chair the party four years later
- June 1999: Five years after apartheid ends, he becomes deputy president of South Africa - he loses the position in 2005 after being implicated in a fraud trial
- April 2009: Two weeks after corruption charges are dropped, Mr Zuma becomes president of South Africa
- October 2017: The Supreme Court of Appeal rules he must face 18 counts of corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering
What happens next?
As deputy president, as well as ANC leader, Mr Ramaphosa is likely to step in.
But it is thought that he would not seek to remain as president, preferring to get his own mandate at next year's presidential elections.
The ANC, as the party in government, would then nominate a candidate to serve until then, and parliament would take a vote within 30 days.
Mr Ramaphosa was already the overwhelming favourite to win the 2019 election, one which Mr Zuma was barred from competing in, having served two terms.
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