ANC confirms Zuma is going nowhere

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma is going nowhere and any ANC member of Parliament who votes for his removal may face expulsion from the party.

This is the hard stance being adopted by the ANC as Zuma will – on August 8 – face yet another test in Parliament when MPs vote in a motion of no confidence on him.

Speaker Baleka Mbete is receiving submissions from various political parties either for or against the motion of no confidence being decided through a secret ballot.

ANC national executive committee member, Fikile Mbalula, said removing Zuma would be self-destructive for the ANC.

Zuma’s removal had been debated in the party’s national executive committee and was defeated, Mbalula said, adding that MPs are expected to uphold this decision.

ANC MPs should vote not according to their conscience but in line with the decisions of the party, he said.

Likening ANC MPs who plan on voting against Zuma to suicide bombers, Mbalula said the party will institute disciplinary action against MPs who defy the party.

He cautioned that the removal of a sitting president had in the past proved to be a costly mistake on the part of the ANC.

The recall of former President Thabo Mbeki in 2008 had not only led to the formation of Cope but it had led to an exodus of experienced leaders and thinkers.

He said opposition parties like the DA who were calling for the removal of Zuma were doing so for political expediency.

Even DA leader Mmusi Maimane had failed to remove Helen Zille, Mbalula said,

Despite there being growing calls for the removal of Zuma from even within ANC ranks, Mbalula said pinning all problems facing the party on Zuma was not correct.

He said that the ANC’s own research has listed a number of factors which contributed to the party’s poor showing in the 2016 local government elections.