Under fire South Africa President Jacob Zuma faces another motion of no-confidence with a debate scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the National Assembly in Cape Town.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) confirmed it had received a written confirmation from parliament. The no-confidence vote will be the third in under a year, with the first two easily defeated by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) majority in parliament.
The debate comes in the wake of the former Public Protector’s State Capture report that implicates President Zuma in his dealings with influential Indian family, the Guptas.
DA was piling pressure on ANC to remove its leader from office.
The interests
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said it was in the interests of South Africa to remove President Zuma.
“President Zuma’s brand of corruption, economic mismanagement and lies can no longer continue to exist alongside the project of building a better South Africa for all,” Mr Maimane said. Meanwhile, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said the party would not support the motion.
“We respect 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. However, the motions by the DA have become ritualistic practices founded on spurious allegations and narrow political motives rather than substance,” Mr Mthembu said.
Broke ranks
Recently, Mr Mthembu broke ranks and called on the entire ANC national executive committee, including President Zuma, to resign. His remarks sparked widespread criticism within the party.
Thursday’s motion of no-confidence has received the support of most opposition parties in parliament.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) on Wednesday said they would fully back the motion.
“We have been telling him to go for years. It’s time,” UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said.
New party leader
Since the start of the current term of parliament, which is just over two years old, a total of seven motions have been tabled by the opposition and President Zuma has survived all.
President Zuma’s term in office ends in 2019, but the ANC was due to elect a new party leader at the end of next year and could then decide to replace him as head of state.
South Africa’s Constitutional Court this year found the president guilty of violating the law after he refused to repay taxpayers’ money used to refurbish his private rural house.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.