DECISION OF THE ANC CAUCUS ON THE MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE

14 November 2012

The Caucus of the African National Congress in Parliament, which consists of 299 Members of Parliament from both Houses of Parliament, met today to discuss the proposed Motion of No Confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

There was a unanimous agreement that this is a frivolous motion, which has nothing to do with Section 102 and Section 89 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which deals with the removal of the President from Office.

The Motion of the Opposition about the alleged violation of the Constitution by President JG Zuma is without foundation and cannot be supported by fact.

For example, the Supreme Court of Appeal of the Republic of South Africa did not issue an order against the President or the President's Office for the handing over of tapes, as it was claimed. In terms of the judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeals in the DA vs. the National Director of Public Prosecutions case, the judicial order was directed at the "first respondent" - which is the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

If the people of South Africa, the majority of whom overwhelmingly mandate this President and the African National Congress to lead this country, were to learn that this august institution has entertained a Motion of no Confidence in the President on the basis of such frivolous allegations, their trust in the ANC and this Parliament would have been violated.

It is not the first time that the Opposition has tabled such a frivolous motion.  Problematic and frivolous as the 2010 Motion of No Confidence was, we agreed to it to prove and make a point to the skeptical detractors that we are committed to parliamentary democracy and that this movement never shies away from a debate. Indeed we emerged with flying colours from that debate and Parliament reaffirmed its confidence in the President.

However, it is a cause for grave concern that this institution should be abused with a flurry of frivolous motions which are motivated by nothing other than a desire for cheap publicity. It would be a complete travesty and an unsustainable precedent if we were to allow a frivolous motion, which is based solely on spurious allegations rather than facts, to be afforded the dignity of consideration and debate by Parliament.

The motion by these opposition parties, which they know as anyone else its chances of success are zero, seeks to try the President in a court of public opinion and tarnish his image and that of the ANC in the media.

If these opposition parties want a President of their choice, they should wait for the elections in 2014, we will be ready to contest them. What we cannot allow though is turning this legislature into the only institution in the world in which a matter as serious as a Motion of No Confidence in the President is turned into a political football - in which desperate opposition parties tables such a motion at the slightest provocation. The electoral wishes of the people cannot be undermined and usurped at will.

Caucus has therefore unanimously decided to oppose the programming of this motion on the Order Paper of the National Assembly. 

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, November 14 2012

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