The DA has tabled a formal motion of no confidence against embattled National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula who announced on Thursday that she had taken special leave from her position as speaker and from the ANC.
A debate on the motion of no confidence could take place as early as next week.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube says the rules of parliament make no provision for a member to unilaterally take special leave and that Mapisa-Nqakula must resign.
“A special leave is only granted by a full sitting of the house through a formal motion that is adopted in terms of the National Assembly rules. This special leave is nothing more than a cop out,” she said in a statement.
However, Gwarube said it was important for the National Assembly to adopt a vote of no confidence in her even if this meant that a special session must be held during the parliamentary recess, which begins next week Friday. She noted that parliament was still competent until about mid-May and could assemble to vote on the motion.
“The DA has repeatedly called for the Speaker to resign as it is simply not fitting for the head of the national legislature to be facing allegations of corruption and a possible imminent arrest following a raid at her house this week,” Gwarube said.
If the ANC voted against a motion of no confidence it would send a “horrific” message to the public and provide fodder for opposition parties, she said.
It emerged from media reports by News24 and Daily Maverick that Mapisa-Nqakula had filed an urgent court application to interdict law enforcement agencies from arresting her on corruption charges, saying there is no case against her.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) conducted a raid of her house this week.
Mapisa-Nqakula is reported to have said in court papers filed in the Pretoria high court that she is innocent of the charges against her.
Mapisa-Nqakula also wants law enforcement officials to be ordered to arrange a date with her attorneys for her to be summonsed to appear in the magistrate’s court and wants her lawyers to be provided with all the evidence against her.
“I have every intention of proving my innocence and clearing my name and restoring my reputation,” argued Mapisa-Nqakula in her affidavit.
Mapisa-Nqakula said in her Thursday statement that while the NPA had conducted a search and seizure at her home, she had received no formal notification of an arrest warrant or communication regarding an imminent arrest for her, neither to her or her legal team.
This week’s raid of Mapisa-Nqakula’s home follows a high-level investigation into allegations that she solicited and received at least R2.3m in cash from a former military contractor during her tenure as defence minister.
It is alleged that Mapisa-Nqakula played a role in awarding the contracts and purportedly solicited cash payments.
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