Cape Town - ANC chief whip Stone Sizani got in first to read out a motion of confidence in Speaker Baleka Mbete effectively taking the wind out of DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane’s motion of no-confidence supported by six of the 12 opposition parties.
And then the motions went on to the order paper, where they joined a plethora of others awaiting debate.
Placed “below the line”, according to parliamentary procedure, there is no set date for debate. But if at the end of the year a motion has not been discussed, it expires.
The ANC motion described Mbete as “an outstanding veteran of the Struggle”, having “dedicated her life for the betterment of the lives of all our people” as one of the “midwives to our democracy”.
The opposition motion condemned Mbete “for remaining the chairperson of the ANC while serving as Speaker” and cited a series of specific shortcomings including an inability to “protect the institution from the delivery of spurious points of order that have shut down democratic practice”, cancelling meetings of the parliamentary oversight authority.
While the opposition parties on Wednesday highlighted the need to raise issues of concern to the broader South African citizenry, it was always a matter of tilting at windmills.
The numbers go the ANC’s way with its 249 MPs against a combined total of 128 MPs in the opposition ranks pushing for the motion of no-confidence.
While the ACDP on Thursday joined the DA, EFF, United Democratic Movement, Freedom Front Plus and Cope in supporting the no confidence motion, AgangSA rejected it.
AgangSA acting president Andries Tlouamma said that if the Speaker was removed she would “only be replaced by another ANC comrade with the same instructions from Luthuli House” and instead opposition parties should focus on the interests of the masses.
The IFP also did not endorse the move by its fellow opposition parties, saying it believed in being a constructive opposition.
“Therefore (we) do not believe that the removal of the Speaker will address the immediate and urgent challenges pertaining to the decorum of the House,” said IFP caucus chairman Alfred Mpontshane.
Political Bureau