Cape Town – The motion of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa and the no confidence in his Cabinet are set to go ahead on Wednesday afternoon.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) submitted its motion of no confidence, targetting Ramaphosa’s leadership over the sealing of his bank statements related to his 2017 campaign for the ANC presidency, among other things.
Its motion of no-confidence application has been on the agenda of Parliament for the past two years, according to IOL.
It was rejected by the former National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise.
However, the party recently resubmitted the application under the new Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
ALSO READ | Vote of no confidence in Ramaphosa to take place openly after ATM’s bid for secret vote fails
The ATM had, however, sought to postpone the motion after the Western Cape High Court on Monday found that their application to review Mapisa-Nqakula’s decision to have the motion voted on by open ballot was not urgent.
“The Speaker advised the ATM that, as the power to postpone items on the agenda of the Assembly resided with the National Assembly Programming Committee, she could not unilaterally accede to their request,” said a statement from Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo, according to News24.
Mapisa-Nqakula referred the ATM to Rule 90, which stipulated that no member may anticipate the discussion of a matter appearing on an order paper or agreed upon by the programme committee for scheduling, Times Live reported.
“In this regard, the implication of the ATM’s motion is that it will remain on the order paper, thereby blocking other similar motions. The speaker has a duty to protect the rights of other parties to move motions of no confidence in the president,” the report quoted Mathapo as saying.
ALSO READ | DA’s Steenhuisen tables motion of no confidence against Cyril Ramaphosa’s entire Cabinet
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it will protest outside the gates of Parliament on Wednesday in support of its leader John Steenhuisen’s motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet.
Today is a big day for SA! ??
In Parliament, we debate and vote on a Motion of No Confidence against Ramaphosa’s entire Cabinet of crooks and free-loaders.
Join the #CabinetMustGo protest outside Parliament or watch it live at 11h15 on the DA’s Facebook and YouTube pages. pic.twitter.com/Syiu0vp9nt
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) March 30, 2022
This came after Mapisa-Nqakula declined Steenhuisen’s request that ministers be refused from participating and voting on the motion of no confidence in the Cabinet, The Citizen reported.
The DA submitted its motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa’s cabinet during the State of the Nation Adress (SONA).
The DA accused Ramaphosa of being unable to hold his executive accountable for its failures.
“Because you’ve shown that you’re a president of talk and not a president of action, then we’re going to make it easier for you. Today, I’ve tabled a motion of no confidence, not in you, but the whole Cabinet in terms of Section 102.1 of the Constitution,” Steenhuisen said at the time.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
