CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The EFF motion of no confidence in the National Assembly Speaker was decisively defeated during a recent parliamentary sitting, reinforcing the current leadership of the house. The final voting tally saw 101 Members of Parliament voting in favour of the motion, while a substantial majority of 282 MPs voted against it, effectively halting the bid for removal.
In the aftermath of the vote, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) publicly reaffirmed its support for the presiding officer. IFP Parliamentary Chief Whip Nhlanhla Hadebe clarified the party’s official stance, stating that the IFP does not believe the Speaker’s handling of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Section 89 impeachment process warrants her removal from office.
Hadebe’s comments underscore the ongoing political divisions regarding the procedural management of the Section 89 inquiry. Despite the EFF’s push for leadership change over the conduct of the impeachment process, the overwhelming vote against the motion ensures the Speaker will remain in her role, maintaining the current administrative direction of the National Assembly.
The defeat of the motion marks a significant procedural victory for the Speaker and her supporters, closing this chapter of parliamentary challenge while keeping the focus on the broader legislative agenda ahead.