Johannesburg - Opposition parties have ganged up on Baleka Mbete by calling for her immediate removal as Speaker of Parliament. They will table a motion of no-confidence against her in the National Assembly today.
But the office of the ANC chief whip Stone Sizani dismissed the move as a “laughable stunt” and a “charade” by the EFF and its “lackeys”.
Leaders of the Freedom Front Plus, DA, Cope, EFF and UDM joined forces on Wednesday to table a motion of no-confidence in Mbete, who they see as an “obstacle to constructive debate” and can’t in “good conscience” serve fairly as ANC’s chairwoman and Speaker of Parliament.
The calls for Mbete’s removal by the opposition has been on the cards for some time, but have grown louder following the events of August 21 when EFF MPs caused a disruption in the chamber.
The parties said a number of factors should disqualify Mbete, like politicisation, poor internal management and the threatened militarisation of Parliament plus “integrity issues”.
“It is not tenable that the Speaker of the National Assembly, a figure intended to be an impartial chairperson of all parliamentary activities, simultaneously holds high office in the governing party,” DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said. Mbete’s leadership role in the ANC “is the most important disqualifying factor”, he added.
“In parliaments across the world using neutral Speaker models such as our own, Speakers are expected to maintain impartiality at all times.
Mbete simply cannot remain chairperson of the ANC, caucus with the ANC and simultaneously hold the position of Speaker,” said Maimane.
The DA will reach out “to every single party” represented in the National Assembly who still have to “caucus” and take a position on the issue, he said.
FF+ MP Pieter Mulder said these were “troubling” times in Parliament.
“We get the impression it becomes more and more an ANC Parliament.
Since 1994 there’s always been someone appointed from other parties as presiding officers.
Remember Ben Skhosana (late IFP MP) for example, Farouk Cassim (IFP), Sandra Botha even.”
Mulder said the motion was more about putting the issue “on the agenda and to send a message out there before the Nkandla commission”.
Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said the issue was not whether the opposition’s motion would succeed.
“Members of the ruling party must be tested before the eyes of the nation. How many of them support this mismanagement that is going on in the house and how many not,” said Lekota.
EFF leader Julius Malema said the Speaker is removed through a simple majority. “If it happens that we consolidate numbers on Thursday and get some numbers from the ANC, or these MPs don’t turn up we can shock them. Everything is possible,” said Malema.
The EFF leader also accused the police, SANDF and State Security Agency of plotting to collude against the EFF in Parliament and provincial legislatures
“When we say there is a crisis of leadership, we are not joking,” said Malema.
Previously, the EFF has called for an amendment to the constitution so that a “neutral” Speaker in the form of a retired judge should preside over debates in Parliament.
Sizani said the call by the EFF “and its lackeys” was nothing but a “desperate campaign” to undermine the powers and privileges committee, where its MPs are appearing on a range of misconduct charges.
“The allegations levelled against the Speaker are therefore simply baseless and a ridiculous sideshow.”
Sizani said in all “established democracies”, a party that wins the election selects the head of the executive and head of the legislature.
Pretoria News