DA motion calling for early elections to be debated on Tuesday

The Democratic Alliance’s motion calling for early elections will be debated in the National Assembly on Tuesday, 5 September.

This was announced by the programming whip, ANC MP Fezile Bhengu, at the National Assembly’s programming committee meeting on Thursday morning.

The official opposition party called for fresh elections, as per Section 50(1) of the constitution, following the failed eighth motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma earlier this month, which saw a record number of MPs – including an estimated 30 to 40 ANC legislators – vote to remove a president.

Other opposition parties in parliament, including the EFF, UDM, and Cope, have said they would not support the DA’s latest motion.

“The reality is that South Africa cannot afford another two years of ANC governance.

“With over half of South Africans living in abject poverty, 9.3 million of our people without work and our economy showing no signs of being able to recover from the recession. We need a new beginning,” John Steenhuisen, the DA’s chief whip, said in a statement on Thursday morning.

“The DA will call on all MPs to support this motion to usher in new elections. Given the enormity of the challenges lying ahead, South Africa cannot afford to have that ANC in power any longer.”

On Sunday, the DA launched an online petition calling for the snap elections.

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