Speaker throws out motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa

SPEAKER Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has decided to throw out the motion of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa after the African Transformation Movement (ATM) had failed to move it in the national legislature.

After a meeting of the programming committee yesterday parties still could not agree how to proceed with the ATM and EFF insisting that the motion be postponed.

But Mapisa-Nqakula said despite the party pushing for the postponement the matter was not sub judice.

“As far as our own processes determine here because you have chosen not move your motion, therefore the motion has lapsed until you resubmit it.

“The motion is not on the agenda, the motion is not postponed, the motion has lapsed on the grounds that the mover of the motion did not move it, did not formally submit the motion in the assembly yesterday,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.

“I was waiting for the court to provide guidance on the matter because you appealed my decision. At this point in time the court decided that clearly the matter is not urgent and therefore it is not on its roll now,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.

IFP MP Nared Singh said they should give the ATM a week to seek legal advice to confirm the legal advice of Parliament. Legal advisers of parliament had said the matter was not sub judice.

He said the matter cannot drag on and it would need to be resolved.

However, UDM chief whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said the ATM must not be backed into a corner by the Speaker to withdraw the motion and it can be considered during the second term of Parliament.

However, House chairperson Cedrick Frolick said since the ATM had not moved the motion on Wednesday, it would fall away.

He said the motion of no confidence must be dispensed with in the order paper of Parliament.

Mapisa-Nqakula said there were processes that were followed in Parliament.

If a member who tabled the motion refused to move it, the motion lapsed, she said. She said what was coming out of the meeting was that the ATM had failed to move the motion.

“We are engaging on whether the matter is sub judice or not, or whether the matter should remain on the agenda of the programming committee. What is coming out is that in terms of our own processes here the member yesterday (Wednesday) chose not to move the motion,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.

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