EFF STATEMENT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN ZUMA

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The EFF is proud of the outcome of the motion of no confidence in Zuma today. The ANC has 249 Members of Parliament, yet they received 198. The Combined Forces of Anti-corruption received 177. From 249 to 198 is a decrease from 62% to 49%. Whatever they can say, Zuma was retained by a far less number than the one that voted him in. 

In essence, 35 people in the ANC voted against Zuma. We know without a shadow of doubt that these 35 people are the cream, tried and tested leadership of the ANC. This is a victory of our democracy and a demonstration that the secret ballot does work to give people a chance to defy an immoral party line. 

That Zuma is still president it means they have chosen against all moral logic to keep a criminal despite the secret ballot. South Africa must move beyond the ANC, it is lost to immorality; kleptocracy and gangsterism. 

We want to thank all our fighters from across the country for coming out in numbers to demonstrate in favor of removing Zuma from office. We thank all South Africans, the religious formations, trade unions, student movements, and all civil society for the momentum against the corrupt Zuma regime. 

Let the historic record show that before the arrival of the EFF in parliament, it had never happened that ANC members vote with opposition to remove its president. Above all, never before had a motion of no confidence in a sitting president been conducted through a secret ballot. The EFF has therefore truly restored teeth to the institution of parliament and our democracy. 

We now look to September when the Constitutional Court will hear the case that Zuma must be impeached for breaking his oath of office. There is still hope in the near future of a South Africa without Zuma as President. We must never retreat because to do so, will be to surrender our country permanently to the Gupta family. 

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 8 August 2017