On Tuesday, 03 March 2015, I wrote to the Speaker’s Office, in terms of Rule 98 of the National Assembly, to give notice of a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

This came after Agang abandoned its motion of no confidence in the President on the same day. The Democratic Alliance has condemned this act of wasting South Africa and Parliament’s time by trivializing such an important matter.

Today, 05 March 2015, during a meeting of the National Assembly Programme Committee (NAPC), the Speaker, Baleka Mbete, acknowledged that her Office had received the notice, and that the matter was receiving due consideration.

Our notice of motion of no confidence in President Zuma was motivated for the following reasons:

• Under his leadership independent institutions of the State have been politicized and weakened;
• Unemployment has escalated to unprecedented levels;
• The economy is at  its weakest point in recent history;
• The basic rights of South Africans are trampled while the connected benefit; and
• Corruption has spiraled out of control

It is important for the country’s constitutional democracy that the National Assembly, which elected the President and is constitutionally obligated to hold him accountable, reflects on his fitness to hold Office and the impact of his presidency on society. Furthermore, South Africans deserve to hear this debate of national importance.

President Zuma has side-stepped all forms of accountability and has put himself ahead of the interests of the country. It is therefore incumbent upon the Official Opposition to ensure that the President is made aware of his sham presidency.

 

Issued by DA