National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that she has agreed to reschedule the EFF’s motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma for Thursday afternoon.
The ANC has confirmed that it will back the EFF motion, which will result in Zuma being officially removed on Thursday as head of state should he not resign before then. The EFF motion was initially scheduled to be debated on February 22.
“The speaker’s decision [to bring forward the debate] was made after consultation with the leader of government business and the chief whip of the majority party and is subject to the National Assembly’s programme committee agreeing to the scheduling of a sitting for 15 February 2018,” said Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo.
ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile said at a media conference earlier on Wednesday afternoon: “We have asked the chief whip [Jackson Mthembu] to proceed with the motion of no confidence so that Zuma is removed and we proceed to elect Cyril Ramaphosa as president, so that he delivers the state of the nation address”.
“We can no longer wait [to remove Zuma] … the decision by the NEC [national executive committee] has been taken and it must be implemented.”
Mthembu said Ramaphosa could possibly be sworn in as president of SA on Thursday, depending on the availability of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
He later said Ramaphosa might be sworn in on Friday morning.
The ANC had approached the EFF to request that it withdraw its motion.
“They [the EFF] flatly refused … what would have been an option would have been to [table] our own motion, but it is not possible … therefore our rules allow for an amendment of any motion.
"We will effect the amendments [to the EFF motion] to effect some amendments, but the substance of the [EFF motion] will not be changed, which will result in the removal of Zuma,” Mthembu said.
A special meeting of the programme committee was being scheduled later on Wednesday to deliberate on the matter, said Mothapo.
“With regard to the EFF request of February 3 2018 for the vote on the motion to be conducted by means of secret ballot, Ms Mbete said she had determined that voting would be by open ballot.
“Section 57 of the Constitution, 1996, directs the National Assembly to conduct its business, among others, with due regard to representative and participatory democracy, accountability and transparency. Ms Mbete said in her letter that she believed that this decision strengthens Parliament’s efficiency in its oversight of the executive.”
The ANC announced on Tuesday that it had decided to recall Zuma. ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said the party expected Zuma to respond on Wednesday. However, he emphasised that the state of the nation address, which was originally scheduled to be delivered on February 8, would be delivered by the Ramaphosa.
Indications are that Zuma will defy his party’s decision and cling to power, which has forced the ANC caucus to pursue a motion of no confidence.
Zuma has not asked for amnesty or for the state to pay his legal fees, Mashatile said.
The rand jumped more than 1% to its firmest since June 2015 and bonds hit a one-week best on Wednesday after the ANC said it would proceed with a vote to remove Zuma from office.
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