Parliament - Though it failed, the vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma showed that the ANC can be turned, Economic Freedom Fighters' leader Julius Malema said on Tuesday.
Asked why he was celebrating the result, Malema responded: "We got 26 votes from the ANC direct and 35 indirect because there were nine abstentions.
"When we said to you we are eating an elephant bit by bit, we were not joking," he said.
CIC @Julius_S_Malema now addressing the demonstration outside Parliament following the outcome of the #SecretBallot pic.twitter.com/kb4i2XcALy
— #EFFTurns4 (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 8, 2017
In the dark, our CIC @Julius_S_Malema gives a message of hope to our people pic.twitter.com/xmYgDJlPZU
— #EFFTurns4 (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 8, 2017
Malema added that the result proved that the opposition had not been bluffing when they said African National Congress MPs were prepared to break ranks to vote in favour of the motion, and that going to court to fight for a secret ballot on the motion had not been a waste of time as it emboldened dissident ruling party MPs.
The result of the vote was 177 in favour of the motion and 198 against.