ANC Caucus statement on the Speaker's decision regarding secret ballot
The Office of the ANC Chief Whip notes the decision of the Speaker of National Assembly, comrade Baleka Mbete that voting on the motion of no confidence in the President scheduled for tomorrow, 8 August 2017, will be by secret ballot.
As the ANC in Parliament we have always maintained that we will support whatever decision the Speaker takes on this matter. We have long stated that we are not adverse to a secret or open ballot.
Whilst we acknowledge that there are genuine grievances by our people and various organisations around state capture and the resultant alleged corruption in various entities of government, we reiterate that in-depth investigations around these revelations must be conducted inclusive of the establishment of an urgent judicial commission of inquiry.
This motion by the Democratic Alliance, who are our political nemesis is a political ploy designed to undermine our popularly elected government, fracture and weaken the ANC with an aim of removing it from government by any means outside of general elections. This motion is therefore in the interest of the Democratic Alliance and opposition forces and not in the interest of our country.
We reiterate our stance that the ANC will vote against this motion. We will not vote with the opposition to collapse our democratically elected government.
We have also noted the online circulation of a list purporting to have 95 ANC members of Parliament who will vote in favour of this motion. This list is nothing but fake news to the extent that some of the people on the list have long left Parliament including comrade Joyce Moloi-Moropa. The other member included on the list is a member whom we buried this past week, comrade Trevor Bonhomme. This shows the utter desperation of our detractors.
We have full confidence in our ANC members of Parliament. This motion, just like others before it, will be defeated.
Issued by Nonceba Mhlauli, Media Liaison Officer, the Office of the Chief Whip
