CAPE TOWN – National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has sent a letter to Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Leader Julius Malema informing him that she has decided to reschedule the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma for Thursday 15 February at 2pm.
A statement issued by Parliament says that the Speaker’s decision was made after consultation with the leader of government business and the chief whip of the ANC and is subject to the National Assembly’s Programme Committee agreeing to the scheduling of a sitting for 15 February 2018.
A special meeting of the Programme Committee is being scheduled for 3pm today to deliberate on the matter.
With regard to the EFF request of 3 February 2018 for the vote on the motion to be conducted by means of secret ballot, 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.
Mbete said in her letter that she believed that this decision strengthens Parliament’s efficiency in its oversight of the executive.
The ANC announced earlier on Wednesday that its MPs will vote with opposition parties in a motion of no confidence against Zuma at Parliament on Thursday.