Johannesburg - The EFF in the North West says it has asked for the no-confidence vote against Premier Supra Mahumapelo to be postponed to protect ANC Members of the Provincial Legislature, who wish to vote the premier out via a secret ballot.
The EFF's Betty Diale said the party wants the no-confidence motion to be held via a secret ballot and following last-minute discussions with the North West Legislature Speaker Susan Danjte, there was an agreement that the special sitting should be postponed.
The vote of no confidence was expected to be heard on Tuesday morning.
The EFF brought the motion against Mahumapelo because of the collapse of various departments in the province. The party said the provincial health department has deteriorated even further since it was placed under administration.
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"We had through our attorneys requested that the sitting be postponed. The court processes need to be finalised first before the motion is heard. The agreement with the party is that court papers will be presented to the Speaker by tomorrow, and then she will be given time to respond," said Diale.
"We want the voting to be by secret ballot. We have those from the ANC that say they need protection. We have a history of whistleblowers that have been killed. We need to do our duty to protect the MLPs."
Diale said they expect the court processes to be finalised within four weeks and then a motion can be heard by the legislature.
ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte said yesterday during a press briefing that the party’s leadership will meet with unhappy ANC caucus members in the North West on Wednesday. She said it was not ideal for ANC MPLs to vote with the opposition to remove Mahumapelo.
Meanwhile, DA North West Provincial Legislature leader Joe McGluwa said he will be writing to the Speaker demanding to know why the motion had been postponed.
The party had said it would support the vote to remove Mahumapelo.
On Tuesday the DA is expected to lay fraud and corruption charges against Mahumapelo for the bursary that his son received from state-owned arms manufacturer Denel.
The party says the bursary appears to be in contravention of the Finance Management Act.