SIYABONGA SITHOLE and ITUMELENG MAFISA
Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, requesting that she review her decision for today’s (Tues) Section 89 vote via a secret ballot instead of an open ballot as announced by the Speaker last week.
The ATM said it had written to the Speaker of the National Assembly following threats to members of the National Assembly if they voted against party lines.
The party said a secret ballot was the only way the Speaker could protect the lives and livelihoods of members of Parliament, especially those from the ANC, who were told to toe the party line and reject the adoption of the Section 89 report or risk losing their jobs as ANC representatives in Parliament.
The decision that ANC MPs should toe the party line when voting was announced by treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, following a "tense" national executive committee (NEC) last week.
The ATM had written to the Speaker on December 6, requesting that she consider a secret ballot, citing the decision by the ANC to urge its members to reject the report as being detrimental to the ethos of democracy and the rights of those members who are opposed to the ANC’s decision to protect Ramaphosa from being held accountable for the Phala Phala farm debacle.
Last month, the Section 89 independent panel, led by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, found that the president has a prima facie case to answer and that he might have violated his oath of office and the constitution when he engaged in paid work at his farm.
The ATM accused ANC chairperson Gwede Mantshe of issuing an unlawful threat and directive to ANC MPs.
"It is public information that a very senior member of the ANC NEC, Mr Gwede Mantashe MP, who holds the position of chairperson in the party has issued an unlawful and spine-chilling threat to members of the ANC whose conscience vote may differ with that of the party line, that they will face expulsion," ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona said.
He said the party had read with shock the utterances attributed to Mantashe and which called for ANC MPs to toe the party line when voting in Parliament on Tuesday.
"Ask Makhosi Khoza what happens when you defy the ANC. She had to leave. If you defy the ANC, you will have to leave because it means you do not respect the organisation; you are an individual. Conscience is okay, but we have a political system," Mantashe is quoted as saying in the Sunday World article.
Ntshona said that it had become clear that the only solution was a secret ballot.
"Following these very disturbing developments, the ATM is of the firm view that the Speaker cannot, in good conscience, purport to be acting in the best interests of the members of the National Assembly by exposing them to the stated vicious wrath of the party, should their conscience vote differ from the one imposed by their party.
"The Speaker’s duty to act in the best interests of the members of the national assembly is invoked. The ATM urgently requests the Speaker to urgently review her decision to allow a secret ballot; this will validate and ensure the Speaker’s contention that all members of Parliament are enabled to vote with their conscience, in line with their oath of office," the party said.
However, Moloto Mothapo, a National Assembly spokesperson, said the December 13 meeting in Parliament would proceed as a fully physical meeting, as planned, with no provision for virtual participation.
"The NA secretariat was tasked to secure a suitable venue that will accommodate all members. The meeting further resolved that the voting method on the report will be by means of an open ballot and a roll call," Mothapo said in a statement.
The Star