ATM refuses to participate in no confidence motion against Ramaphosa as DA protests

The motions of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet is set to take place on Wednesday despite concerns over certain issues from the opposition.

Political parties in Parliament will debate and vote on the motions tabled by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) this afternoon.

The voting day follows the ATM’s last-ditch attempt to force a secret ballot on its vote of no confidence motion against the president.

On Monday, the Western Cape High Court’s Judge Rosheni Allie struck the party’s urgent application off the roll due to a lack of urgency.

Political game

The ATM suffered another blow after National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula rejected the party’s request to postpone the motion pending the court ruling.

Mapisa-Nqakula had given the ATM until 3pm on Tuesday to indicate its decision on whether to withdraw the motion, which the party rejected, and has since indicated that it will not take part in the debate.

“[The Speaker has insisted] that the matter must go ahead and we are definitely not happy about that. We are not going to participate in that kind of debate where we know that the matter is before court and we are applicants for that matter.

“We find it strange that the Speaker continues to behave this way,” ATM spokesperson Sbusiso Mncwabe told Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday morning.

Mncwabe said Mapisa-Nqakula was playing a “political game” in rejecting the ATM’s postponement request despite knowing that the matter was sub judice.

“Yes, the court find that the matter was not urgent, however, it should proceed on the normal court roll… it was not thrown out of the window of court… the matter is still there is in court.

“If we continue as a party participating in that debate when the matter is in court, it will mean that we are already arguing the matter on behalf of the court. The Speaker is well advised legally, but we believe this is just a political game that she is now playing,” he said.

The ATM had approached the Western Cape High Court, seeking an order to declare Mapisa-Nqakula’s decision to reject the party’s request for a secret ballot unconstitutional and invalid.

Earlier this month, the Speaker ruled that an open ballot, rather than a secret ballot, will be held for the motion.

She had repeatedly defended her decision to reject the ATM’s request, saying it was lawful because the Speaker had discretion to decide on the secret ballot as per the Rules of the National Assembly.

The ATM had resubmitted their motion of no confidence application to Parliament following a ruling delivered by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in December 2021.

The motion targeted Ramaphosa’s leadership over the sealing of his bank statements related to his 2017 campaign for the ANC presidency, among other things.

DA motion

Meanwhile, the DA‘s vote of no confidence against Ramaphosa’s entire Cabinet  will also take place on Wednesday afternoon.

The ministers will participate in the debate and voting process despite the DA’s concerns over a conflict of interest.

Mapisa-Nqakula declined the DA’s request that ministers be excluded from the motion, arguing that  the Constitution requires Ministers to account, participate, and vote in matters of the National Assembly that may impact their political offices directly.

The Speaker, however, accepted the party’s request for a roll-call voting procedure.

“According to the rules on virtual sittings, members are entitled to cast their votes either electronically, by voice or by having their votes recorded by their respective whips,” Parliament said in a statement on Tuesday.

“In this regard, the Speaker has confirmed that a manual roll-call voting procedure will be used for the voting on the motion. This will entail the question being put for a decision of the House, followed by the secretary calling each member, and each member voicing either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the question.”

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika as well on Wednesday morning, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the ministers participation in the debate and voting will ”taint” the process.

Steenhuisen indicated that the DA was “pleased” with the Speaker’s decision to accept the use of a manual roll call for the vote. 

READ MORE: DA to protest outside Parliament in support of Steenhuisen’s no-confidence motion in ministers

“The system where by party [chief] whips just stands up and say ‘I have got 200 members and we vote this way’ wasn’t going to cut the mustard when it came to a vote of conscience like this particular vote should be where members of Parliament have a duty to put their constituency had of the party. I think that is an important concession and we are pretty happy in that regard,” the DA leader said.

He said the party tabled its motion because Cabinet was “too big, incompetent and not producing results”, further acknowledging the potential outcome of loss in the motion.

“This debate around the size of the Cabinet and its performance is absolutely crucial as a tool of Parliament to be able to hold people accountable and highlight where those ministers have failed, why they failed [as well as] ask the president what he is doing about this,” Steenhuisen added.

The DA is currently protesting outside Parliament with the motion scheduled for 2pm.