Rustenburg - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) dropped in its motion of no confidence against North West premier Supra Mahumapelo when it sensed defeat the African National Congress (ANC) in North West said on Tuesday.
"The ANC in Bokone Bophirima [North West] is disappointed by the EFF political games on serious matters such as a debate on the motion of no confidence that the party initiated. Now that the EFF can see that their frivolous motion will not succeed, the party has reneged on going ahead with the motion as planned," said provincial spokesperson Gerald Modise.
"It is surprising for the EFF to write to the speaker of the legislature with a request for a postponement of the legislature sitting on the eve of the debate, while the party has known since last week the Speaker’s decision that the motion would be voted on using an open ballot system."
Modise said the EFF insisted that the debate must be conducted through a secret ballot and this clearly confirms their desperation because not long ago the party had no problems with an open ballot in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and Mogale City last year.
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"It is the same EFF that has been making noise claiming that they’ve got support from some members of the ANC in the legislature, while they know that their intention is simply to create a hype and hope for the best. It is clear that this motion that they have brought will not succeed because it is not getting the support they had initially anticipated."
He said: "We in the ANC have got faith in premier Supra Mahumapelo to lead the province to achieve the most for our people who have trusted our movement with their votes".
The EFF sponsored motion had been scheduled to be debated on Tuesday. To succeed we it would have required the opposition combine needed seven votes from the ANC for the motion to succeed.
The ANC has 23 seats in the legislature, while the EFF, has five seats in the 33-seat legislature. The DA has four seats and the Freedom Front Plus's one seat.
In a memorandum to members of the legislature, Speaker Sussana Dantjie said Tuesday's sitting was postponed on the request of the EFF pending the finalisation of their intended legal proceeding.
The EFF had indicated it would approach the court for the motion to be conducted through a secret ballot.