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Supporters of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) celebrate outside Parliament after South African President Jacob Zuma survived a no confidence motion in Cape Town, South Africa, on Aug. 8, 2017 [Xinhua]
A vote of no confidence against South African President Jacob Zuma was held by secret ballot on Tuesday. Zuma secured 198 votes surviving yet another attempt to topple him even as ANC members of Parliament broke out into singing and dancing after the results were announced.
The opposition managed to garner 177 votes for the motion of no-confidence. Allegations of corruption have troubled the Zuma government in recent years.
Ahead of the vote, the opposition DA (Democratic Alliance) ran a campaign targeting ANC members who were supposedly unhappy with their leadership.
Today our choice is between right and wrong. Between good and evil. – @MmusiMaimane #NoConfidence #ZumaVote
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) August 8, 2017
“Today is a historic day. South Africa faces a choice between corruption and a prosperous South Africa. He mustn’t retire in Nkandla, Zuma must go to JAIL!” DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on Tuesday.
Earlier this June, a series of media reports detailed links between elected officials and a family of Indian-origin tycoons accused of holding undue sway over the South African administration.
On Tuesday, a jubilant Zuma asserted that the ANC is supported by “the overwhelming majority”.
“They are pumping propaganda through the media that the ANC is no longer supported by the people. It is their own imagination,” Zuma added.
Zuma has survived eight no confidence motion in the past seven years.
“As Africa’s oldest liberation movement, the ANC is a resilient movement and South Africa is a resilient country. Despite the challenges we face as a country, we remain steadfast in our commitment to entrench the gains of our democracy,” an ANC statement said after the win.
TBP and Agencies
