The ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal believes that the secret ballot in today's vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma will make absolutely no difference.
"We remain firm in our belief that‚ whether by secret ballot or open voting‚ the political outcomes of the vote must and will be the same. It is only the delusional wishes of the opposition‚ aided by sensationalist media opinion‚ that creates a fictitious possibility of a secret ballot tilting the political outcomes‚" said secretary-general Thanduxolo Sabelo.
He said that the outcome - which they expect to be a resounding win for Zuma - will reaffirm that the ANC was still the country's "political centre".
Sabelo added that the Youth League would have preferred the vote to be open.
"The decision for a secret ballot presents an opportunity for ANC Members of Parliament to demonstrate to the opposition and other forces hoping for regime change through a palace coup that our movement will defend its democratic mandate."
He called on all ANC MPs to "rise up against these attempts at staging a palace coup".
"We are convinced that by the end of the parliamentary session…the ANC Members of Parliament would have delivered a clear message to the opposition that they cannot and should not donate their opposition politics to our movement. When Comrade Jacob Zuma is reaffirmed as President of the Republic‚ the opposition will have to go bury their bruised egos in sand after they are defeated‚" he said.
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