Baleka Mbete allows secret ballot
Motion of no-confidence debate in President Jacob Zuma is scheduled to take place on Tuesday
The vote on the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma will be conducted via secret ballot, National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete announced on Monday. The motion was scheduled to take place on Tuesday and the method of voting was seen by some observers and opposition parties as crucial for the outcome, amid growing calls within the ANC and its alliance partners for Zuma to step down. Opposition parties, particularly the EFF, wanted a secret ballot. The DA said last week that evidence of intimidation of ANC members meant a secret ballot was warranted. The ANC has said it would abide by the speaker’s decision. Mbete said during a media briefing that her decision was “in the best interest of the country”. The DA tabled the motion earlier in 2017 following Zuma’s decision to fire then finance minister Pravin Gordhan‚ and then deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas‚ which sent the rand and markets into a tailspin. The UDM, which was later joined by other opposition parties, then...
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