The ANC says it will end its relationship with the DA should it submit a motion of no confidence.
DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille says her party will use other ways of holding the ANC accountable before resorting to efforts that could “bring down” the government.
Zille was responding to questions on a motion of no confidence vote that the party is considering against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
She told reporters outside the Cape Town Central Police Station on Tuesday that the DA is confident of success should it submit the motion.
“We certainly have a motion of no confidence against the president up our sleeve, but we always say that our action must be commensurate to the infringement. Taking the motion of no confidence is the nuclear option because we will definitely bring down government. We counted heads, and we think we are going to have 196 or a 197 votes out of 400.
“For a motion of no confidence, that is a lot of votes the ANC in all its history has never got all their parliamentarians into the house. Will they have a full caucus in the House? I very much doubt it,” she said.
Double standards?
Talks about a motion of no confidence vote came after Ramaphosa recently dismissed Andrew Whitfield as deputy minister of Trade and Industry.
The DA said this was a sign that Ramaphosa is willing to protect corrupt ministers while having the agility to fire a minister who had gone overseas without his permission.
“A whole minister lies to parliament, does a cover-up to prevent people holding her to account for deploying cadres, and the president does absolutely nothing about it. We know exactly who she appointed and where they work, and we know exactly to whom they account,” she said.
Political parties weigh in on the motion proposal
Meanwhile, ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said the party will not support a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa without valid reason.
“Let me make this matter quite clear, ActionSA has had great reservations about Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency even in his last term of office and certainly now in his second term as leader of the GNU [government of national unity].
“If and when such a motion comes, we will make our decision based on our own experiences, our own thoughts and objectives. We will certainly not be forced to make decisions based on the objectives of any other political party,” he said.
Meanwhile, United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa told Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday that “personally” he would have removed the DA from the GNU if he was Ramaphosa.
He said the party was problematic because it would mix issues of governance with party politics.
“Take now this issue of the dialogue, everyone agreed on it, but now that their deputy has been fired, they say they are not going to be part of the dialogue, so what is the point of them being in the government?” he said.
Holomisa said he believes that a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa is not necessary.
However, he said it is important for the GNU partners to ensure that the recommendations by the Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture are implemented.
ALSO READ: US trip just an excuse for firing Whitfield, says political analyst
Problems with the statement of intent
Political analyst Ntsikeleo Breakfast told The Citizen that the statement of intent should be re-examined to ensure that disputes among GNU partners can be resolved.
“The DA says the ANC has been flouting the statement of intent there have been different understandings and interpretations of that statement of intent. The truth is that you cannot expect politicians to preside over this agreement because a politician will give a subjective interpretation,” he said.
Breakfast said a panel of legal experts should preside over disputes regarding the statement of intent.
“This needs to be presided over by former judges; in my opinion, these are people outside politics because this is mediation,” he said.
NOW READ: Zille calls meeting after Ramaphosa removes DA deputy minister