Opposition parties have lobbied for months for an anonymous no-confidence vote to provide cover to disgruntled members of Zuma's African National Congress who may fear coming out against their leader in an open ballot. They include Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma’s deputy; Lindiwe Sisulu; Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the president’s former wife; and the speaker of parliament, Baleka Mbete, whose stock has risen following her handling of the ballot. The ANC has 249 seats in the 400-seat parliament and the opposition controls 151, so it would take 50 ANC lawmakers backing the opposition to vote Zuma and his cabinet out. Last week ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu acknowledged recent criticism of the party, including the impact of a cabinet reshuffle in March when respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan was replaced with a Zuma loyalist. “[Zuma’s] derelict leadership has resulted in a collapse of public confidence in the president … and ultimately undermined efforts to restore confidence in the South African economy,” the leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance, Mmusi Maimane, said in proposing the vote. Cape Town (AFP) - South African President Jacob Zuma faces a no-confidence vote by secret ballot in parliament Tuesday, with opponents hoping that discontented ANC lawmakers could help oust him from office. If the motion is successful, Zuma - whose term is due to run until 2019 - would be removed as president but would remain as ANC leader until December, when he is due to step down and a new leader elected in his place. The president’s firing of widely respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan in a Cabinet reshuffle in March led two agencies, Fitch and Standard & Poor’s, to lower South Africa’s credit rating to below investment grade, or junk status.
The Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Baleka Mbete, announces that a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma will be held by secret ballot. The vote, to be held on 8 August 2017, will be the eighth vote of no confidence against the president and the first by secret ballot.