National Assembly restoration
(In the pic - Members of the South African National Defence Force rehearsing outside the National Assembly in Parliament). Parliament will be hosting the State of The Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma on the 12 February 2015, Cape Town. Linda/DoC, 10/02/2015.

Home » DA, EFF Request ‘No Confidence’ Postponement in Hope of Secret Ballot Approval First

DA, EFF Request ‘No Confidence’ Postponement in Hope of Secret Ballot Approval First

Opposition parties have asked the Speaker of the National Assembly to postpone next week’s Motion of No Confidence debate… in order to allow the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to hear an application in regards to secret ballot voting in Parliament… which could make all the difference to the outcome of the vote. The motion – of No Confidence […]

By SAPeople
11-04-17 19:31
in News
National Assembly restoration
(In the pic - Members of the South African National Defence Force rehearsing outside the National Assembly in Parliament). Parliament will be hosting the State of The Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma on the 12 February 2015, Cape Town. Linda/DoC, 10/02/2015.

Opposition parties have asked the Speaker of the National Assembly to postpone next week’s Motion of No Confidence debate… in order to allow the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to hear an application in regards to secret ballot voting in Parliament… which could make all the difference to the outcome of the vote.

(In the pic – Members of the South African National Defence Force rehearsing outside the National Assembly in Parliament). Parliament will be hosting the State of The Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma on the 12 February 2015, Cape Town. Linda/DoC, 10/02/2015.

The motion – of No Confidence in President Jacob Zuma – was due to be heard on 18 April 2017.

ConCourt has today, 11 April 2017, granted the United Democratic Movement (UDM) an opportunity to argue that a secret ballot is an essential democratic right and that the No Confidence vote should be held in secret. The UDM had filed papers yesterday requesting this opportunity.

Previous Motions of No Confidence have been unsuccessful, and some believe this is because the voting process has so far not been secret, and therefore ANC (African National Congress) members of Parliament may feel coerced into supporting Zuma for fear of the repercussions of not doing so.

On top of that, the ANC has said that its members will vote as a “block”, putting pressure on each MP to vote with the party, regardless of their individual feelings about the President’s ability to lead the country. Former President Thabo Mbeki has criticised this decision, saying that political parties should never act as as voice of the party when in Parliament… but rather represent the people.

UDM has requested that the Motion of No Confidence debate be postponed, and today Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) Deputy President, Floyd Shivambu, also submitted a letter to the Speaker, Baleka Mbete, pointing out that the outcomes of the ConCourt have a direct bearing on the possible outcome of the motion of No Confidence.

The opposition party has therefore submitted a “sincere request” that the motion be postponed from 18 April to a date after the ConCourt hearing and decision.

The Speaker has said that she is not opposed to a secret ballot, but that she does not have the Constitutional power to allow such a process. However experts have argued that she does.

In its most recent update, at about 16h10 on Tuesday, Parliament said: “Parliament today received directions of the Constitutional Court in connection with the United Democratic Movement (UDM) application to have the Motion of No Confidence in the President conducted through a secret ballot. Parliament will comply with the directions and timeframes issued by the Court.

“The Constitutional Court has not yet taken a decision to either hear or schedule the application of the UDM. No injunction has been made by the Court regarding the debate on the Motion of No Confidence, which is scheduled for 18 April 2017 at 14h00 in the National Assembly.”

UPDATE TUESDAY EVENING: The DA (Democratic Alliance) has also sent the Speaker a letter, requesting a postponement for the ConCourt to decide on whether the motion can be conducted by secret ballot.

DA Leader Mmusi Maimane said: “As soon as a decision is taken, the motion must be debated before the Assembly as soon as possible.

“While this means that we have to wait a little longer to vote on the motion, I urge all South Africans to march together to the Union Buildings tomorrow and make it clear that we will no longer tolerate a President who is willing to put his own self-interest above the best interests of South Africa.”