Vuyo Zungula, parliamentary leader of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), has accused National Assembly Speaker Thoko Dididza of shielding President Cyril Ramaphosa from accountability after she rejected the party’s motion of no confidence in him.
The ATM submitted the motion under Section 102 of the Constitution, citing a lack of confidence in Ramaphosa’s leadership amid ongoing economic and social challenges, including rising unemployment, daily protests linked to illegal immigration, and widespread public frustration. Zungula argued that the rejection prevents Parliament from properly holding the president accountable.
“Did the speaker to deny us a motion of no confidence which is based on section 102 citing that there is another process which is section 89 that is ongoing. It shows that perhaps she’s playing a role of protecting the president,” Zungula said. He emphasised that Section 102 addresses the loss of public confidence in the president’s overall governance, while Section 89 deals specifically with alleged violations of the Constitution.
Zungula noted that the two processes are separate and that nothing in the Constitution or parliamentary rules prevents both from proceeding simultaneously. He pointed out that previous no-confidence motions, including those submitted by the MK Party on performance-related grounds, had also been declined.
The speaker’s decision follows a Constitutional Court ruling earlier this month that found Parliament’s earlier vote against adopting a Section 89 independent panel report on the Phala Phala farm theft scandal was irrational. That panel, led by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo (referred to in the discussion as Sandi Lingo), found that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution in relation to the 2020 theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala game farm. Ramaphosa has since written to the Chief Justice’s office seeking to review the panel report.
Zungula criticised Ramaphosa’s legal challenge, stating it aims to halt parliamentary scrutiny. He highlighted discrepancies in reported figures, noting that the president had stated approximately $580,000 was stolen, while forensic analysis in a related case suggested a higher amount exceeding $800,000. The ATM leader also referenced earlier claims by Ramaphosa about not knowing an individual linked to the matter despite photographic evidence.
“Our call is to say… Section 102 speaks to a case whereby people have lost confidence in the president,” Zungula said. He argued that allowing the motion would enable full debate on the president’s performance and give expression to South Africans’ frustrations.
The ATM parliamentary leader called on Speaker Dididza to uphold Parliament’s oversight role and protect the institution’s integrity rather than shielding the executive. He warned against normalising actions that could damage institutional credibility for future generations and stressed that accountability mechanisms must apply regardless of who holds office.
Zungula described the current situation as a crisis in leadership and governance, with the country facing high unemployment, crime, and social unrest. He maintained that Parliament must remain responsive to public concerns through available constitutional tools, including both Section 89 and Section 102 processes.
