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President Cyril Ramaphosa will face his first motion of no confidence since becoming President in 2018. The matter is set for a debate in parliament on Thursday, December 3.

Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso confirmed the news during a meeting of the National Assembly programming committee on Thursday [November 26].

The African Transformation Movement (ATM), a party which holds two seats in the National Assembly, filed the motion earlier in the year pre-lockdown in February, and it has just been approved by Speaker Thandi Modise. The party threatened court action if their motion was not set down for debate in this term.

The ATM filed the motion of no confidence because they believe Ramaphosa did not disclose to parliament that he benefitted from the CR17 campaign, which was the main financial backing in his bid to become president of the ANC.

Earlier in the year, ATM president Vuyolwethu Zungula said his party had previously given President Ramaphosa the benefit of the doubt but were let down.

“We thought as social democrats we should respect the will of the majority,” he said. “But the sixth administration has turned out to be the most advised administration since the dawn of democracy, with a number of advisory bodies and various envoys whose advice, it seemed, was falling on deaf ears or was being poorly implemented.”

“It is safe to say this country has a parallel cabinet but still no positive outcome. SA allowed President Ramaphosa a free hand to do things the new dawn way but the country keeps sliding.”

He further argued that despite many summits and investment opportunities, the country continues to sink.

“’Ramaphoria’ is no more. Many people in private conversations, and some publicly, are very sad to accept that SA has been on a slippery slope ever since President Ramaphosa occupied the highest office in the land. The new dawn that was promised has in fact become a nightmare for virtually all the citizens of SA,” added Zungula.

A two-thirds majority is needed to pass the motion of no confidence.

Picture: Twitter / Cyril Ramaphosa

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