ANC MPs must toe party line or face expulsion

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma is going nowhere and any ANC Member of Parliament who votes for his removal may face expulsion from the party.

This is the hard stance being adopted by the ANC as Zuma will on August 8 face yet another test in Parliament when MPs vote in a motion of no confidence. Speaker Baleka Mbete is receiving submissions from various political parties either for or against the motion of no confidence being decided through a secret ballot.

ANC national executive committee member Fikile Mbalula said removing Zuma would be self-destructive for the ANC. Zuma’s removal had been debated in the party’s national executive committee and was defeated, Mbalula said, adding that MPs are expected to uphold this decision.

ANC MPs should vote not according to their conscience, but in line with the decisions of the party, he said.

He said opposition parties like the DA calling for the removal of Zuma were doing so for political expediency. Even DA leader Mmusi Maimane had failed to remove Helen Zille, Mbalula said. Despite there being growing calls for the removal of Zuma from even within ANC ranks, Mbalula said pinning all problems facing the party on Zuma was not correct.

The ANC’s own research listed a number of factors that contributed to the party’s poor showing in the 2016 local government elections.

These include the Constitutional Court decision against Zuma, the cabinet reshuffle, the spy tapes judgment and the challenges facing SAA and the SABC.

He said Zuma will stay on as party leader until December when the ANC is expected to elect new leadership.

Mbalula said the losses suffered by the ANC in the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay Metros had not only “frightened” the ANC, but had made it think hard. He said the party was aware it had to be on its toes otherwise it will lose power to the “liberals and demagogues”. “It is not going to be easy in 2019, but we will rise, we will defend power.”