Gordhan to remain in Parliament
Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan will stay put as an ANC MP and has confirmed he will be present when the National Assembly debates a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma in two weeks.
Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan will stay put as an ANC MP and has confirmed he will be present when the National Assembly debates a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma in two weeks.
“I am now resting, so don’t ask any more questions. I’ll see you on the 18th — [the date set for the motion of no confidence],” Gordhan said on the sidelines of ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada’s memorial in Cape Town on Thursday.
Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Derek Hanekom have also not resigned yet as MPs and are unlikely to do so before the special sitting in Parliament to debate a motion of no confidence in Zuma takes place.
Erstwhile deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, Dipuo Peters and Tina JoematPettersson’s resignations as MPs have fuelled speculation that the ANC in Parliament is under pressure that more of its members will quit the legislature to avoid having to cast their votes for Zuma when the National Assembly debates his future.
The resignations of the former members of Zuma’s Cabinet have opened up slots on the ANC’s benches and may benefit Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Dlamini-Zuma is reportedly on the party’s reserve list, while the ANC Youth League in the Free State said in March that it was preparing to nominate Motsoeneng. The appointment of Faith Muthambi as public service and administration minister, from which Zuma booted Ramatlhodi, has also created another poser: the department signs off on key appointments, including directors-general.
ANC insiders, who spoke to Business Day on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the media, said several of its MPs were prepared to support the motion of no confidence.
However, because voting would not be done through a secret ballot, many were likely to stay away rather than vote against the motion as per the party’s instructions. “There is definite unhappiness with the president … some of my colleagues have said they would be uncomfortable to vote to retain him as president,” said one MP.
Parliament’s rules do not allow for a secret ballot and previous motions of no confidence brought by the opposition, five in total, have been stifled by the ANC, which enjoys a majority in Parliament, with 249 of the legislature’s 400 seats.
Nonceba Mhlauli, the ANC chief whip’s spokeswoman, said the party was not aware that more MPs could resign. “That [more resignations] remains speculation. Yes, the caucus will discuss [the motion] when we break from constituency.”