Zuma no confidence motion postponed

Besieged South African President Jacob Zuma in a reflective moment. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By AFRICA REVIEW

In Summary

• According to the United Democratic Movement, a secret ballot would allow legislators from the ruling African National Congress to vote without fear of retribution from their party.
• Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen welcomed the postponement, saying that the outcome of the ConCourt submission would have a material impact on the outcome of the vote

South Africa’s Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete has postponed the no confidence motion against President Jacob Zuma.

The vote had been scheduled for Tuesday, April 18.

“The Speaker of the National Assembly has decided to postpone the debate and vote on the motion of no confidence in the President of the Republic,” reads Ms Mbete’s statement.

The Speaker’s decision is in response to a request by the Democratic Alliance (DA), under whose leader the motion was tabled.

The party asked that the motion be put on hold pending the conclusion of an application made by the United Democratic Movement (UDM) at the Constitutional Court earlier this week requesting a secret ballot.

According to the UDM, a secret ballot would allow legislators from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to vote without fear of retribution from their party.

The court allowed the party access over the matter. UDM has until April 19 to file a reply.

Ms Mbete said that the motion had been postponed “pending consideration of the matter by the programme committee after the constituency period.”

“The programme committee will be requested to consider two things, namely the implications of the postponement of the motion, especially in light of Rule 90 (rule of anticipation), and a possible date in the future for the consideration of the motion,” Ms Mbete said.

DA chief whip John Steenhuisen welcomed the postponement, saying that the outcome of the ConCourt submission would have a material impact on the outcome of the vote.

“The DA believes that it would have been remarkably disrespectful for the National Assembly to proceed with the debate and vote while the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the Republic, was deliberating on a matter directly linked to the motion,” said Mr Steenhuisen.

He added: "The postponement will give ANC Members of Parliament time to reflect on their commitment to South Africa and the people. For as long as Jacob Zuma remains at the Union Buildings, the people, especially the poor and jobless, will continue to suffer."

Ms Mbete had initially turned down UDM’s request for secret ballot, arguing that it is not part of the rules of parliament.

South Africa’s Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete. PHOTO|AFRICA REVIEW

“The secret ballot is not provided for in the rules of parliament, we have no basis to do that,” said Ms Mbete.

Executive director of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution Lawson Naidoo said that a secret ballot is possible, adding that it will be up to the MPs to decide whether to allow it.

“Currently the National Assembly Rules do not provide for a secret ballot for a motion of no confidence. However, section 57 [of the Constitution] says the National Assembly may decide how to conduct its business. So National Assembly could decide that this motion will be by secret ballot. Parliament can determine how its business is conducted,” Mr Naidoo said.

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