So where were you when crunch vote was held?
IT was billed as the last political fight of the year, but 58 MPs chose not to get involved.
Most of them had valid reasons for missing the vote on the DA’s motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma — including missed flights and rushing to catch their flights home from Cape Town — and some were stuck in the loo when the parliamentary bells were rung.
The ANC, which said all its MPs were supposed to be in the National Assembly on Thursday, recorded that 33 of them did not vote on the day.
Minister of Justice Michael Masutha, who was present during the debate, said he was in the men’s room when the time came to vote.
“I had quickly rushed to the bathroom because I am taking heart pills because of my heart condition and I have to constantly go to the bathroom.
“I believed I had sufficient time — but unfortunately it was poor judgment on my side and I take full responsibility. I would have voted against the motion,” Masutha said.
His colleague in the ANC benches, senior MP Cedric Frolick, said he had chosen not to attend the sitting of parliament as he would have missed his flight to Morocco had he done so.
“The problem is the way the order paper was also structured. There was a lot of IN THE LOO: Michael Masutha other [business] they did first, and with all the delays it would have been impossible to make my flight,” he said.
Former Gauteng legislature speaker Lindiwe Maseko said she had missed her flight to Cape Town due to an accident in Johannesburg. By the time she arrived in Cape Town the sitting had adjourned.
ANC MP Agnes Qikani said MISSING: Bathabile Dlamini had she not been booked off for health reasons, she would have voted against the motion.
Also missing from the ANC benches were Deputy Defence Minister Kebby Maphatsoe and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, both staunch Zuma backers.
Maphatsoe said he had been unable to attend as he was out of the country on government business in Iran.
“I even wanted to come back early, but our programme there didn’t allow for that. We are united behind the president. Even if the DA brings the motion every month until 2017, I will be one of the first people to defend [him],” he said.
Finance Minister Pravin NOTICE: Pravin Gordhan Gordhan, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, and Minister of Telecommunications Siyabonga Cwele were also SADC: Aaron Motsoaledi THE MAN: ANC supporters protest during debate on the motion of no confidence against Jacob Zuma absent from the house.
Gordhan’s office said he had notified the chief whip’s office in advance that he would be unable to attend the sitting.
Motsoaledi, who recently spoke out against the fraud charges against Gordhan, said he was in Swaziland attending a conference of Southern African Development Community health ministers.
Even opposition leaders chose to give the vote a miss.
IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and senior IFP MP Narend Singh left before voting began.
“The circus in the house would have made me miss my flight,” said Singh.
EFF leader Julius Malema, secretary-general Godrich Gardee and spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi did not attend the debate.
Gardee said the EFF’s leaders had more important organisational matters to attend to.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu’s office said he would ask those party members who had not notified him in advance to explain their absence.
Mthembu’s spokesman, Moloto Mothapo, told the Sunday Times ANC MPs who had failed to attend Thursday’s three-line whip session — a compulsory sitting to be attended by all MPs — would be expected to demonstrate that they had been granted leave of absence from the sitting.
“The chief whips, as always, will have to check the list of absentees against the list of those who made requests [for leave] and those who have not made requests and further invite them to explain their absence.
“Each case obviously will be dealt with according to its merit,” Mothapo said.
Before the no-confidence motion was debated on Thursday, Zuma attended an ANC caucus meeting at which, it is claimed, he was confronted by former Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele for publicly stating he was not afraid of jail.
MPs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Gungubele told Zuma the remarks he had made in Dumbe, KwaZuluNatal, last weekend were improper for someone in his position.
Gungubele declined to comment on Friday, saying he was not authorised to publicly speak on confidential caucus discussions.
Mothapo also refused to comment on the matter.
“Caucus discussions are not for public consumption.”
I had quickly rushed to the bathroom because I am taking heart pills We are united behind the president, even if the DA brings the motion every month until 2017