BREAKING: Zuma remains the President of South Africa
The secret is out and Jacob Zuma will retain his position as President of the Republic of South Africa
FOR now Msholozi still remains the President of the Republic of South Africa.
Those calling for his head to roll will have to wait a little longer.
As it stands President Zuma is likely to see through his second term until the year 2019.
While came as no surprise to many ANC supporters who from the outset were certain that the motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma would not result in his demise, what did surprise many is the fact that it would seem 26 ANC MPs voted in favour of the motion of no confidence against Zuma, while 9 abstained from voting.
Proceedings leading up to the Secret Ballot vote began in Parliament on this afternoon where numerous Members of Parliament (MPs) voiced their reasons as to why ANC members should support the motion and vote to have the President Zuma removed.
Zuma himself was not present during the debate on the motion of no confidence against him.
Despite the assurance by opposition parties that they have an upper hand in lobbying ANC MP’s to vote in their favour, the result proved otherwise.
Results
Against the motion – 198
Abstentions – 9
In support of the motion – 177
‘The notion of no confidence in the President is accordingly negative’ – Baleka Mbete.
Hiccups
Parliament was disrupted during the voting process when MP’s were unsettled by the fact that DA leader Musi Maimane had his cellphone with him when he cast his vote.
MP’s called on the Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete to disqualify Maimane’s vote after they were specifically told not to have their cellphones present during voting.
Shortly before Parliament was adjourned for the counting of the votes, MPs raised further concern over the fact that Speaker Baleka Mbete would not be voting of which Mbete noted that she would only cast her vote if their was a tie.
Opposition Parties
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane’s earlier plead with ANC Members of MPs to ‘do the right thing’ and help remove President Jacob Zuma from office.
‘Do the right thing today – vote with your conscience and remove this corrupt and broken President from office.
‘I plead [with] you let us put the people of South Africa first and vote to remove Jacob Zuma today.’
‘It did not say if you move that motion, you are moving for regime change.
‘It only sought to say if you move that motion, you are moving for accountability which is what we’re her to ask for today.’
Meanwhile EFF leader Julius Malema made an impassioned plea to the ANC’s younger MPs and members of the ANC Youth League to think about their future when casting their votes.
Malema labelled Zuma as the ‘most corrupt individual in the country’.
‘We are not here today to remove a democratically elected government of the ANC which was voted for by our people in 2014.
‘Whether we like it or not we must at all times respect the wish of the people.
‘That’s why we are here today to make it very clear that hours today is not against the ANC but against the father of Duduzane (Zuma’s son).
‘We are here to remove Duduzane’s father. Duduzane’s father is the most corrupt individual in this country,’ Malema said.
