Parliament says its up to the DA, which tabled a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma, to withdraw the motion.
This, after other opposition parties asked that the vote set for next Tuesday be postponed pending a Constitutional Court hearing on a secret ballot in the National Assembly.
Parliamentary spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said "rule 128 of the National Assembly rules stipulates that withdrawals of motions may only be made by the Member of Parliament in whose name they were tabled.”
“The Motion of No Confidence, which the Speaker scheduled for 18 April in the National Assembly, in line with the urgent request, is tabled under the name of the Leader of the Opposition, Mmusi Maimane," Mothapo said.
“Therefore, in terms of the provision in the Rules, only Maimane, and not the Speaker, has the power to withdraw the Motion.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) have written to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete requesting her to postpone the debate until the court’s decision.
