"If these opposition parties want a president of their choice, they should wait for the elections in 2014; we will be ready to contest them"

The ANC will block the opposition’s attempt to have a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma debated in the National Assembly.

The African National Congress’s parliamentary caucus met on Wednesday to discuss the proposed motion, ANC Chief Whip Mathole Motshekga said.

“There was unanimous agreement that this is a frivolous motion, which has nothing to do with Section 102 and Section 89 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which deals with the removal of the president from office.

“The motion of the opposition about the alleged violation of the Constitution by President [Jacob] G Zuma is without foundation and cannot be supported by fact,” he said.

Last week, Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko gave notice in the Assembly of a motion of no confidence in Zuma.

The motion was brought on the grounds “that under his leadership the justice system has been politicised and weakened; corruption has spiralled out of control; unemployment continues to increase, the economy is weakening, and the right of access to quality education has been violated”.

The motion was “mandated” by eight opposition parties, including the African Christian Democratic Party, the Azanian People’s Organisation, Congress of the People, Freedom Front Plus, Inkatha Freedom Party, the United Christian Democratic Party, and the United Democratic Movement.

Motshekga said it was not the first time that the opposition had tabled such a frivolous motion.

“Problematic and frivolous as the 2010 motion of no confidence was, we agreed to it [then] to prove and make a point to the sceptical detractors that we are committed to parliamentary democracy and that this movement never shies away from a debate.

“Indeed, we emerged with flying colours from that debate and Parliament reaffirmed its confidence in the president,” he said.

However, it was cause for concern that Parliament should be abused with a “flurry of frivolous motions which are motivated by nothing other than a desire for cheap publicity”.

It would be a complete travesty and an unsustainable precedent to allow a frivolous motion, which was based solely on spurious allegations rather than facts, to be afforded the dignity of consideration and debate by Parliament.

“The motion by these opposition parties, which they know as anyone else its chances of success are zero, seeks to try the president in a court of public opinion and tarnish his image and that of the ANC in the media.

“If these opposition parties want a president of their choice, they should wait for the elections in 2014; we will be ready to contest them.

“Caucus has therefore unanimously decided to oppose the programming of this motion on the order paper of the National Assembly,” Motshekga said.

Earlier on Wednesday, DA Chief Whip Watty Watson said Parliament would be “rendered powerless” by the ANC if it used its majority to block this no-confidence motion.