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![Zuma's ANC rejected calls by the opposition to remove the president in the latest no confidence vote [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/255882350_8-e1478857193269.jpg)
Zuma’s ANC rejected calls by the opposition to remove the president in the latest no confidence vote [Xinhua]
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), called for the vote a week after the former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, released a report into “State Capture” (when private interests covertly influence the government’s decision-making apparatus).
On Friday, Zuma’s office said that Madonsela is no longer the public protector and is therefore not in a position to continue making comments about alleged wrongdoing in the presidency.
“Advocate Madonsela has been quite active on commenting about it and the president in particular. We think that she has discharged her responsibilities and she should step back and allow the constitutional and other legal processes to continue unhindered,” a statement from Zuma’s office said on Friday.
The report does not provide proof of criminal wrongdoing by President Zuma, but it does provide enough evidence such as cellphone movements, banking transactions and flight details to suggest Atul, Ajay and Rajesh Gupta were involved in the award of large coal mining contracts by Eskom, the state-owned electricity utility.
The DA also alleged that Zuma allowed the Gupta family to decide on cabinet nominations.
This is the eighth such motion against Zuma defeated in parliament in the past two years.
Zuma’s African National Congress (ANC) is the majority in parliament and that helped turn the tide against the motion.
It was struck down with a no vote of 214 against a yes vote of 126.
Fifty-eight legislators did not vote, and one abstained, Deputy Speaker Lecheba Tsenoli said.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
