Secret ballot push receives big boost
Mbete agrees to delay sitting on no confidence motion in Zuma
MOVES to oust President Jacob Zuma received a major boost last night when National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete finally agreed to postpone an urgent special sitting to debate a motion of no confidence in him to allow the Constitutional Court to decide if the matter could be settled by secret voting.
After a day-long bickering between her and the DA, Mbete decided to postpone the debate.
Mbete had earlier said she did not have the authority to put the debate, which was originally scheduled for April 18, after she was approached by DA leader Mmusi Maimane and the UDM’s Bantu Holomisa on Tuesday.
“The postponement of the motion will be referred to the National Assembly Programme Committee for its consideration after the constituency period,” said Mbete in a statement last night.
“The Programme Committee will be requested to reflect on the implications of the postponement of the motion of no confidence on the programme of the House, especially in light of Rule 90 (rule of anticipation). In terms of Rule 90, postponed motions remain on the programming system of the Assembly, thereby blocking any MP from tabling a similar motion until the one tabled is debated and voted on.”
DA chief whip John Steenhuissen welcomed the decision.
“DA believes that it would have been remarkably disrespectful for the National Assembly to proceed with the debate and vote while the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the Republic, was deliberating on a matter directly linked to the motion,” Steenhuissen said.
“The postponement will give ANC members of parliament time to reflect on their commitment to South Africa and the people. For as long as Jacob Zuma remains at the Union Buildings, the people, especially the poor and jobless, will continue to suffer.”
Earlier in the day, the issue proved to be a political hot potato that neither Mbete nor Maimane were prepared to make a call on the postponement.
‘ ‘ The delay will give ANC MPs time to reflect on their commitment
This was after Holomisa threw a spanner in the works after getting the Constitutional Court to consider his application to have the highest court in the land to decide whether the motion could be decided on by a secret vote.