DA calls for cabinet recusal and secret ballot on no confidence motion

The African National Congress (ANC) would be 72 votes short in opposing a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma should cabinet ministers and deputy ministers accede to a Democratic Alliance (DA) request.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane on Tuesday called on them to “to recuse themselves from voting…on the grounds of a direct conflict of interest”.

Maimane said that as the Constitution holds that “the entire cabinet – including all ministers and deputy ministers – must resign if the motion passes”.

“This means that their role as members of Parliament is in direct conflict with their personal interests of keeping their jobs as ministers and deputy ministers‚” the leader of the opposition explained.

“If cabinet ministers and deputy ministers were to vote‚ it would be contrary to section 96(2)(b) of the Constitution‚ which states that ‘members of the cabinet and deputy ministers may not expose themselves to any situation involving the risk of a conflict of interest between their official responsibilities and their private interests’.”

Maimane also said that he had written to the speaker of the National Assembly‚ Baleka Mbete‚ to request that voting on the motion “be done via secret ballot‚ to ensure that MPs are not threatened with fear of internal persecution and are able to vote with their conscience”.