Mbete still mulling over decision on secret ballot
NATIONAL Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete has appealed to all parties to give her space to apply her mind on whether to use a secret or open ballot next Tuesday, in the motion of no-confidence against President Jacob Zuma.
Opposition parties have threatened to take Mbete to court if she does not allow a secret ballot during the debate.
Parliament’s spokesperson,Moloto Mothapo said the Speaker would make the decision soon as directed by the Constitutional Court.
“The Speaker has appealed to all parties to afford her the necessary space to make the decision as per the instruction of the Constitutional Court decision, to apply her mind that whatever decision she makes is rational,” said Mothapo.
Mbete was under pressure over the last few weeks, with even ANC MP Makhosi Khoza writing to her to allow a secret ballot.
EFF leader Julius Malema said if Mbete didn’t allow the secret ballot, they would run to court to interdict.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu also came out guns blazing yesterday against party MP Mondli Gungubele for taking a stance that he will vote against Zuma next week.
Mthembu described Gungubele’s conduct as the “worst form of ill-discipline” and called for action against him by the ANC.
“Every member of the ANC is a member of the party in a branch. The province must do what it needs to do. His behaviour is unacceptable, simple,” said Mantashe.
Gungubele could not be reached for comment last night.
Mantashe said the national executive committee lekgotla didn’t discuss whether Mbete should declare a secret ballot.
“We agreed ANC members will vote in terms of the decision of the ANC. We are not a party of free agents. If we are a party of free agents then we have no party, we might as well dissolve it,” he said.
“We are members of the ANC and we execute the mandate of the ANC. If they have a conscience they should have discovered that before they were placed on an ANC list,” he said.
During their court application, opposition parties said they wanted to protect ANC MPs wanting to vote with their conscience, but the ANC insisted it would not allow its MPs to vote with the opposition.
This point was reinforced during the policy conference by ANC head of organising, Fikile Mbalula, that their MPs would toe the party and those who side with the opposition would be disciplined.