Zuma motion a top priority for Mbete

Speaker cuts trip short to focus on EFF and DA’s request

THE SPEAKER of the National Assembly has begun the process to institute a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma. Baleka Mbete cut short a trip to Bangladesh, where she had been leading a multiparty delegation of Parliament to the Assembly of the International Parliamentary Unions, to address a request by the DA and EFF to institute another vote of no confidence in Zuma following his midnight cabinet cull last Thursday.

“I must stress that I am alive to the extreme challenges and sense of anxiety our young democracy is going through at this moment,” Mbete said.

“Our people are looking to Parliament to play its part and exercise its constitutional responsibilities. South Africans are expecting our institutions of democracy, such as Parliament, to demonstrate decisive leadership. This is a responsibility that Parliament, for its part, does not take lightly. I therefore assure South Africans that this legislative arm of the state must and will rise to the occasion.”

Both the DA and EFF wrote to the Speaker on Thursday, with Julius Malema’s party urging her to reconvene Parliament ahead of schedule to address the matter today.

“Given the seriousness inherent in the motions of confidence and their implications on the nation, I have, therefore, decided to cut my working trip to Bangladesh to ensure that these requests are given the appropriate consideration.

“In terms of the constitution… as and when a motion of this magnitude is called and is in line with the rules, it must be scheduled and must receive priority.

“I will, therefore, as of today, begin a process of consultation contemplated in the rules in the consideration of the requests submitted. I envisage that the consultation should be concluded as soon as possible.

“Once the consultation process is concluded, my office will duly write to all the parties involved to advise them of the outcome.”

ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu also moved to “counter negative publicity” yesterday, urging the party to deal with its internal issues effectively.

The governing party also admitted that challenges and divisions within the ANC and the broader democratic movement had opened up a “window of opportunity for local and global opponents of the ANC to attack the organisation”.

Mthembu was speaking at a media briefing in Joburg, where he presented a discussion document on communications and the battle of ideas, ahead of the national policy conference in June.

The discussion document identified the media as “a site of struggle”, and the ANC elective conference in December, where Zuma would step down as ANC leader, would take place against a backdrop of “a hostile media environment”.

Cracks in the ANC top echelons widened after Zuma fired five ministers and several deputies in what was dubbed a “night of the long knives” on Thursday, in an effort to enhance efficiency in government.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize have spoken out against Zuma’s decision to reshuffle the cabinet, a move which saw Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas fired as finance minister and deputy minister. Since then, there has been a groundswell of resistance and revolt as more leaders openly called for Zuma to step down.

When asked what message he would give South Africans over the matter, Mthembu said: “With the crisis facing us today, the ANC leadership will be able to deal with these issues and give leadership. That’s what the people of South Africa expect. It’s a matter of importance. It’s on the agenda of ANC structures.”

He said he was “quite convinced” that when the ANC national working committee met today, “they will deal with the crisis facing South Africa”.