Motion an attempted ‘soft coup’ of Parly: ANC

CAPE TOWN — The failed motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma marks the eighth time the Democratic Alliance attempted to remove the ruling party through a “soft coup,” the ANC in Parliament said on Tuesday evening.

“It has been publicly stated that the intention of the opposition is to manipulate the Legislature, usurp the Constitution, so as to collapse government, deter service delivery and sow seeds of chaos in society to ultimately grab power,” spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli said in a statement.

Mhlauli said the caucus remains committed to an independent investigation into “public grievances around corruption and state capture as these are genuine and legitimate concerns”.

198 MPs voted against a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Tuesday evening, 177 MPs voted in favour of the motion and 9 MPs abstained.

Roughly 50 ANC MPs were needed to vote in favour of the motion for it to succeed.

Despite an estimated 30 ANC MPs voting in favour of the motion, the ANC on Tuesday evening said it retained “utmost faith” in its MPs.

“They are men and women of principle who owe their position to an overwhelming public mandate given to the ANC in successive elections since democracy,” ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said in a statement.

“Whether this motion of no confidence had been put to the vote via secret or open ballot, the ANC is confident our MPs will have acted in the best interests of our country.”

Kodwa said the biggest “victor” of Tuesday’s motion of no confidence was the country’s constitutional dispensation.

“It is only through robust engagement and constant dialogue that we will be able to address and overcome the challenges facing our country, such as we have witnessed today.” — Sapa