RANJENI MUNUSAMY: Baleka Mbete and the great secret ballot mystery of 2017
'With a week to go before the seventh motion of no confidence against Zuma‚ there is no indication whether Mbete would grant the secret ballot'
Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete is certainly biding her time before announcing whether she will allow a secret ballot during next week’s motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma.
This is probably the last time Mbete will hold so much power in her hands – unless of course she does grant the secret ballot‚ the motion succeeds‚ Zuma is toppled and she becomes stand-in president until a new leader is elected.With a week to go before the seventh motion of no confidence against Zuma‚ and the ANC battling to suppress MPs from rebelling against its directive to vote in support of the president‚ there is no indication whether Mbete would grant the secret ballot. But what is Madam Speaker’s game and why is it taking so long for her to announce her decision? The weekend’s ANC national executive committee lekgotla gave her the opportunity to consult her party and the decision must be made by now. But she is still dragging the matter out. Ironically‚ it is the Democratic Alliance‚ whose leader Mmusi Maimane sponsored the motion of no confidence‚ that could decide how the matter plays out. After the Constitutional Court ruled on June 22 that it was her discretion to grant...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.