We still won’t vote against Zuma — ANC caucus on secret ballot ruling Concern over ‘inaction’ in motion of no confidence in Zille
CAPE TOWN — The African National Congress in Parliament has welcomed the Constitutional Court’s ruling that Speaker Baleka Mbete must decide again on a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, saying it doesn’t change its stance.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu on Wednesday said the party will consult with its members and legal advisors on the implications of the judgment, but that it in effect won’t change their expressed position.
“. . . Our initial understanding of the judgment is that it gives the Speaker of the National Assembly, who is the chairperson of the rules committee of Parliament, the powers to decide on a secret ballot . . .” Mthembu said in a statement.
“Notwithstanding these matters and the effects of the engagements that will ensue in the rules committee, we are still steadfast that whether such engagement will result in a vote by secret ballot or not, we have unqualified and unequivocal confidence in the ANC caucus not to vote in support of a motion to remove the President of the ANC, who is also the President of the Republic of South Africa and our government, from office.”
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng ruled on Thursday that Mbete as speaker does have the constitutional power to decide whether or not to hold a secret ballot for a motion of no confidence in the president.
She had erred in her previous stance that she did not have the authority, he said.
She and President Jacob Zuma were ordered to pay costs of the opposition counsel as well.
Mthembu said the party’s caucus will engage positively on the matter going forward, as eyes now turn to Mbete to make a decision.
He also affirmed the party’s right to decide how its members conduct itself in Parliament according to their party’s constitution.
“As Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng reminded us today, the South African electoral system is a party political system. The electorate votes for political parties who represent them in the legislature.
“ANC members of Parliament are therefore representatives of the ANC in Parliament and derive CAPE TOWN — The ANC in the Western Cape has expressed its disappointment that a debate on the motion of no confidence in Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has still not been heard in the provincial legislature.
Provincial ANC chair Khaya Magaxa said on Thursday that it was concerning because there had been a long discussion about scheduling it and they were under the impression that some intervention would be made.
“This morning, the chief whip came with a long explanation that is not any nearer to a rational reason. They said because the premier is not in the house, it won’t be the right thing to engage on a motion of no confidence.”
The political party did not believe there was anything to this effect in the rules.
“She is avoiding having to face the house. She is running all around the country,” claimed Magaxa.
“She thinks if she comes next week the coast will be much clearer and we would have forgotten about these
their mandate from the political party which deployed them in the same way as members of other political parties derive their mandate from their political parties.”
Mthembu cited examples in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature where the Democratic Alliance refused to vote with the ANC to remove Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.
In Mogale City, the DA also instructed councillors to take a lie detector test after some of members voted in favour of removing the mayor.
“This is the level of hypocrisy of the opposition who expect the ANC to do something which they flatly refuse to do.
“We reiterate our long stated position that we will not support the motion of no confidence on President Jacob Zuma by opposition parties. We will defeat this motion of no confidence by the opposition as we have matters or that we will not be here because of the ANC policy conference.”
Zille’s spokesperson Michael Mpofu said she was in London to present the province’s approach to education through the use of technology, at the EdTech X Conference. “The trip had been scheduled months ahead of time.” Zille was also attending several meetings facilitated by Wesgro, to discuss the province as a lucrative investment destination.
“She also held other meetings to discuss the Western Cape’s strategy to counter the recent downgrades by rating agencies.”
Deputy speaker Piet Pretorius said he had heard Zille was overseas.
“Because the premier is not in the house, it won’t be the right thing to engage on the motion of no confidence. But I am not sure if that was the only and final reason,” said Pretorius.
His understanding was that the programme was very full now.
successfully done so in the previous four motions tabled in this fifth term of Parliament.”
Meanwhile, DA leader Mmusi Maimane called on all political parties, especially the ANC, to allow their members to “do what they know is right, and to vote Jacob Zuma out”.
Maimane described the motion as “a pivotal moment for our country and its future.
“Jacob Zuma has abandoned the interests of the people, the economy, and South Africa, in favour of a kleptocratic Guptamocracy. We cannot allow this to continue any longer.
“For the sake of the country, it is important that members of Parliament, regardless of political affiliation, come together and put South Africa first by voting to protect the Constitution and to end corruption. Public representatives in Parliament are accountable to the people — first and foremost. “They didn’t say it wouldn’t happen.” Unlike Parliament, he said, the provincial legislature operated according to the traditional rules, where chief whips of the parties, and not the speaker, had to decide when to schedule debates on the order paper.
Last week, a small group of ANC caucus members and supporters picketed outside the Western Cape legislature to call for Zille’s removal.
The former Democratic Alliance leader faced a public lashing following her apology for tweets she made praising some aspects of colonialism back in March.
She has stepped down from all positions in the DA as censure, but will remain in her government position as premier until the end of her term in 2019.
Magaxa said they would continue to raise the no confidence motion, “even if it is delayed until next year”.
“There is nothing positive about colonialism. It subjected a lot of people to death, displacement and havoc in this country.” — AFP
“The removal of Jacob Zuma is the first step in stopping the ANC that is destroying our country and its future.”
Shortly after Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng delivered his judgment, Maimane sent out a press release stating that he wrote to Mbete to request her to schedule the motion of no confidence at the earliest available opportunity.
Parliament, however, enters its winter recess on July 3, and there are no plenaries scheduled for next week.
“Regardless of today’s [Thursday’s] ruling by the Constitutional Court, the Democratic Alliance’s vote in the upcoming motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma will be no secret,” said Maimane.
“The DA will vote to fire Jacob Zuma — and we call on every other Member of Parliament, from all political parties, to do the same.” — Sapa