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By Mayibongwe Maqhina 
November 27, 2020
Cape Town – The African Transformation Movement (ATM) hopes for a secret ballot have been dashed when Parliament votes on the vote of no confidence on President Cyril Ramaphosa next Thursday.
This comes after National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise rejected his request on Thursday saying there would be an open vote as the ATM has offered no evidence of a highly member-laden atmosphere in motivating his request. .
Modise made the decision hours after accepting the ATM’s request to debate a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa.
In a motion filed in February, ATM leader Vuyo Zungula alleged that Ramaphosa had misled the country when he said there would be no charge reduction between December 17, 2019 and January 13.
Zungula had also listed Ramaphossa’s alleged failure to act against Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Eskom board.
Other motives in Zungula’s motion included the R500,000 donation made by the late Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson for his CR17 presidential candidate campaign.
On Thursday, the secretary of the National Assembly, Masibulele Xaso, informed the program committee that Modise had approved the request to debate the motion.
“There has been a request from the ATM for a vote of no confidence to the president that came several months ago.
“The Spokesperson has approved that request and our recommendation is that it be discussed next Thursday, December 3,” said Xaso.
But, parliamentary spokesman Moloto Mothapo said the motion would be debated and voted on in a hybrid session of the House through an open vote.
“The president rejected a request from the ATM to vote on the motion by secret ballot,” Mothapo said.
He also said that Section 1 (d) of the Constitution establishes “openness” as a fundamental principle for our democracy and that it instructed the national legislature to conduct its affairs in an open manner.
“The Constitutional Court has indicated that a secret vote is necessary when the prevailing atmosphere is intoxicated or highly charged.
“The Spokesperson found that the ATM had not offered any evidence of a highly charged atmosphere of members in the motivation of his request,” Mothapo added.
ATM spokesperson Sibusiso Mncwabe said they appreciated Modise’s decision to provide an opportunity for discussion.
“Leaders are participating in a meeting to decide the way forward,” Mncwabe said, adding that a statement will be released today.
Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni said the no-confidence motion lost its effect when it was used almost every two months against former President Jacob Zuma.
Fikeni said the ANC knows that even in the worst case scenario they would not vote for its president.
Another political analyst, Protas Madlala, said the motion was not a problem.
“Now we are facing very difficult problems and to get there, this is not a problem. It is doomed to failure. It won’t fly, ”Madlala said.
Political Bureau
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