A Bid to BLOCK Cabinet members from no confidence vote has been denied

The motion of no confidence vote by the cabinet in President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to go ahead as initially planned.

On Wednesday, 30 March 2022 – the very members of the cabinet seek to oust will be participating the Democratic Alliance (DA) had asked Parliamentary Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to block Cabinet members from the further activities , but their request was rejected.

This motion is one of two that will be reviewed and debated on  then voted on that same day.

Ramaphosa will also be present, seek, or face  his first motion of no confidence, which was presented by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) earlier this month, although  it may not go ahead as the party contemplates on  postponing it.

ATM believes a motion against the president can only be held through a secret ballot as the current political evironment in the ANC is speaks hatred and thus members are unlikely  vote openly.

DA leader John Steenhuisen had argued that there would be a conflict of interest, if Cabinet Members were allowed to take part in the motion of no confidence that seeks to remove them from office. Mapisa-Nqakula added

“The Constitution requires Ministers to account, participate, and vote in matters of the Assembly that may impact their political offices directly. Section 102(1) further provides that the motion is passed by the Assembly, if supported by the majority of its 400 members. I am of the view that if the drafters of the Constitution had intended to exclude the participation and voting by Cabinet Members, with the exception of those mentioned above, on a motion moved under either Section 102 (1) or (2), they would have been explicit in that intention,”

Parliamentary Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula