Zuma corrals ANC vote

11 November 2016 - 08:12 By BABALO NDENZE

President Jacob Zuma made a rare appearance at an ANC caucus meeting yesterday as his MPs discussed how to protect him ahead of another vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. Zuma, who had just returned from an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, headed to Cape Town as the opposition tried to exploit the growing discontent with his leadership within the ANC following the release of the public protector's State of Capture report and the charging of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with fraud.Zuma's attendance raised eyebrows in party circles. Some saw it as his attempt to make sure the divided caucus toed the party line and blocked the DA-sponsored motion. The morning meeting was also attended by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.The caucus was addressed by staunch Zuma backer Jessie Duarte, the ANC's deputy secretary-general. She is believed to have given the ANC MPs their instructions for the debate. The party downplayed Zuma's presence, saying there was nothing extraordinary about it.ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said Zuma's presence at the caucus meeting had "nothing to do with the motion" of no confidence.The ANC's parliamentary spokesman Moloto Mothapo said: "If there is one president who attends caucus regularly whenever he's in the country it's [Zuma]."The presidency spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga also said Zuma was a regular at such meetings.The opposition had hoped to exploit divisions in the ANC made evident by the pronouncements of senior party leaders - including chief whip Jackson Mthembu and justice portfolio committee chairman Mathole Motshekga - calling on Zuma and the party's national executive committee to quit.But, as expected, the governing party closed ranks, fielding well-known Zuma backers and powerful cabinet ministers - Malusi Gigaba of Home Affairs and Nomvula Mokonyane, of Water and Sanitation - to take on the opposition in the debate.Zuma did not stay for the debate. DA leader Mmusi Maimane tried to take advantage of the cracks in the ANC monolith by quoting Zuma-unfriendly remarks by Mthembu, Motshekga, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi.But the ANC maintained a united front - even resisting opposition calls for a secret vote on the motion. After a rowdy three-hour debate, the motion failed, with the opposition's call for ANC MPs to vote with their conscience falling on deaf ears.The ANC majority ensured the motion's defeat by 214 votes to 126, with one abstention.Those not present for the vote included Gordhan, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Motshekga and Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Also missing were EFF leader Julius Malema and party spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.To pass, the motion would have required 50 of the ANC's 249 MPs to side with the opposition.In the debate, MPs laid into Zuma, calling him a "dictator" and "post-colonial disaster".In an attempt to influence ANC MPs to vote with the opposition, the DA sent written appeals to ANC MPs, asking them to put the nation before the president.Imploring ANC members to vote with the opposition, Maimane called on all MPs to choose either corruption or " opportunity for all"."We can choose to sit back while our state is captured by the greedy and the corrupt, or we can stand up against state capture."We can choose to elevate one man above the law, or we can fight for every person to be equal before the law," said Maimane.EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu said his party had written to the National Assembly to ask that the vote on the removal of the president be by secret ballot."It's logical because we voted a president in through a secret ballot. When we have to remove such a president, we must do so through a secret ballot," said Shivambu.He said ANC MPs would "fear victimisation" in an open ballot."He's going to lock you up, he's going to kill you. He's got nothing to lose," Shivambu warned ANC MPs opposed to Zuma.COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota said his party backed the no confidence motion.Gigaba, who closed the debate for the ANC, said the motion was the fifth "frivolous attempt" by the opposition since 2014 to win by "stealth and cunning battles they had lost on the ground"."What makes a mockery of this are the reasons provided for this new gimmick. The so-called 'state capture' has become the most recent Trojan horse inside which the DA Spartans have hid their new spurious attempt to waylay democracy," said Gigaba...

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