Welcome to Africanews

Please select your experience

Watch Live

News

news

No-confidence motion against Zuma to be debated April 18

No-confidence motion against Zuma to be debated April 18

South Africa

South Africa’s parliament will on April 18 debate a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma brought by the main opposition party after he dismissed the respected finance minister, the national assembly said on Wednesday.

Previous no-confidence motions against Zuma have failed as the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has a commanding majority.

The speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete, who is also the national chairperson of the ANC said last week that she would consider the request from the opposition parties.

There has been a growing backlash against Zuma over his action to fire Pravin Gordhan from opposition parties and civil society.

The ANC has on Wednesday backed Jacob Zuma and described the criticism levelled against the president by top party officials as a mistake.

“We must find it adult enough to close the door, beat each other up, if you find me with a blue eye, I must develop a narrative that I bumped a pole rather than going public with disagreements,” ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe who also criticised Zuma, said at a news conference.

South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has received the backing of firebrand Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party to table the motion of no confidence against Zuma for the reshuffle.

View more