ANC in Parliament opposes motion of no confidence against Zuma

The African National Congress in Parliament said on Wednesday that it will not support the motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma called by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).

The ANC respects the constitutionally-enshrined right of any parliamentary party to table a motion of no confidence in the president as a tool of parliamentary oversight and accountability, the Office of the ANC CHief Whip said.

"However the motions by the DA have become ritualistic practices founded on spurious allegations and narrow political motives rather than substance," the office said.

This came after the National Assembly on Tuesday accepted a request from the DA to debate a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma.

The DA tabled this motion three weeks ago, in order to give Parliament an opportunity to give legitimate expression to the overwhelming disapproval of, and opposition to Zuma and his administration.

Since then, the release of the state capture report and its contents has vindicated this decision, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on Tuesday.

He urged MPs to use the only platform that is constitutionally mandated to remove a president.

For the past two years, a total of seven motions have been tabled by the opposition and all were defeated.

But this time the DA wants to use the state capture report to build up the momentum to bring Zuma down.

The report, compiled by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and released on November 2, shed light on how the wealthy Indian Gupta family used their close relations with Zuma to influence the appointment of cabinet ministers and CEOs of state-run enterprises.

The report prompted growing calls for Zuma to resign. There also have been calls by ANC veterans for the party to hold a Special National Executive Committee to discuss the matter.

By calling for this motion, ostensibly on account of the Public Protector's state capture report, the DA is deliberately putting the cart before the horse, said Moloto Mothapo, spokesperson for the ANC Chief Whip Office.

The state capture report has not made any definitive guilty findings or conclusive orders against any implicated individual, let alone Zuma, Mothapo said.

Instead, it has brought to the fore a wide range of crucial but inconclusive matters which must be thoroughly dealt with by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, he said. Endit