ANC warns DA: No-confidence motion equals exit from GNU

The ANC says any possible motion of no confidence by the Democratic Alliance (DA) against President Cyril Ramaphosa will be deemed as the DA’s walk-out from the government of national unity.

The DA has withdrawn from the National Dialogue scheduled for August, citing unhappiness at the axing of its Deputy Minister, Andrew Whitfield after his unauthorised visit to the United States (US).

The DA has given President Cyril Ramaphosa an ultimatum to fire what it calls corrupt African National Congress Ministers in Ramaphosa’s cabinet.

Speculation is also rife that the second biggest Government of National Unity (GNU) partner could table a motion of no confidence on the president.

But ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says this could be the end of the DA in the GNU.

“I can say with certainty that that motion will not pass in the House and if the DA decides to do that, they’re essentially saying that they have walked out of the GNU. We know that they have been planning, or a particular group within the DA has been planning, the matter of passing a motion of no confidence. We were expecting that this is what was going to be spoken about but we do want to say that should they take that course of action; the ANC would be ready to make sure that we defend,” says Bhengu-Motsiri.

ANC reacts to DA’s ultimatum to President Ramaphosa:

DA leader, John Steenhuisen, says President Ramaphosa must fire DA ministers from his cabinet if Ramaphosa is not happy with the DA’s strong stance against corruption.

The DA leader earlier announced his party was withdrawing from the upcoming National Dialogue after he said Ramaphosa ignored the DA’s demand that two ANC government ministers be dismissed.

The party says Ramaphosa’s decision to axe DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield lay in stark contrast to Ramaphosa’s failure to act against what the DA says are errant ANC ministers like Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane.

DA resolve to stay in the GNU:

DA withdraws from National Dialogue – Lindiwe Gadd weighs in