Both no-confidence motions will be debated in parliament on Wednesday

Parliament’s vote of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa will go ahead on Wednesday despite the African Transformation Movement’s (ATM's) bid to have it postponed. 

 The ATM sought to postpone the motion pending the outcome of its court challenge to have the motion conducted by way of secret ballot.

National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Tuesday declined the ATM's request. 

 “The speaker advised the ATM that as the power to postpone items on the agenda of the assembly resided with the National Assembly programming committee, she could not unilaterally accede to their request,” said parliamentary spokesperson Mathapo Moloto.

Mapisa-Nqakula referred the ATM to Rule 90, which stipulates that no member may anticipate the discussion of a matter appearing on an order paper or agreed upon by the programme committee for scheduling.

“In this regard, the implication of the ATM's motion is that it will remain on the order paper, thereby blocking other similar motions. The speaker has a duty to protect the rights of other parties to move motions of no confidence in the president,” said Mathapo.   

Rule 128, on the other hand, provides for the withdrawal and resubmission of a motion, ensuring no other party or member will be prejudiced by a motion remaining in an order paper for an undetermined period.

Mapisa-Nqakula had given the ATM until 3pm to indicate their decision in the light of her advice but there was no response received from the party by the deadline.

“Both the motions of no confidence, in the president and in the cabinet excluding the president, will be debated tomorrow at 14h00.”  

MPs had called for the debate against Ramaphosa to be postponed to the next term to give Mapisa-Nqakula enough time to process the court’s decision.   

The ATM approached the court this month after Mapisa-Nqakula announced that voting in the two motions — brought by the ATM against Ramaphosa and by the DA against the cabinet — would be done openly through party chief whips and there would be no secret ballot.

When her ruling was challenged by opposition MPs during the National Assembly’s programming committee meeting, with some indicating they might take it on review, she invited political parties to make submissions to her office on how voting should be carried out.

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