South Africa’s opposition party says won’t withdraw Zuma no-confidence motion

President Jacob Zuma during his State of the Nation Address in Cape Town. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham South Africa’s main opposition party said on Wednesday it will not withdraw a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma after parliament earlier said the vote could only be removed by the party which had brought it to parliament and not the Speaker.
The motion was brought to parliament by Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane. But on Tuesday, Maimane requested the Speaker of parliament to delay the motion until the Constitutional Court rules on whether the vote should be taken by secret ballot.
“The DA never indicated that the motion of no confidence will be withdrawn but only requested that the Speaker postpone the motion due to the importance of the pending Constitutional Court application,” the DA said in a statement, adding it was still within the Speaker’s powers to postpone the vote.