ANC cannot punish MPs if they vote against Zuma - Motlanthe

Former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe says ANC MPs cannot be punished for voting in favour of the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

ANC MPs are facing threats of disciplinary action should they vote in favour of the motion of no confidence in the president on April 18.

This has led to calls for a secret ballot‚ with UDM leader Bantu Holomisa threatening to go to court if National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete does not reply to his request for a secret ballot on the motion.

Motlanthe told Daily Maverick that to vote against Zuma would not be an offence in terms of the ANC constitution.

He said the parliamentary caucus was not a structure of the ANC.

“Those people … take an oath as parliamentarians to be public representatives. They can’t be treated the same way as you treat an ANC branch.”