SOUTH AFRICA – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have expressed strong confidence that National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza will be removed from her position following an upcoming motion of no confidence debate scheduled for next Wednesday. EFF Treasurer-General and Member of Parliament Omphile Maotwe affirmed that the legislative body must hold the Speaker accountable for her handling of the Section 89 impeachment process involving President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The motion of no confidence was originally introduced by EFF leader Julius Malema in June. It centers on Speaker Didiza’s controversial decision not to oppose President Ramaphosa’s application in the Western Cape High Court, which sought to halt the impeachment inquiry into his conduct regarding the Phala Phala farm matter. Maotwe emphasized that this marks the first motion of no confidence against a speaker in the country’s history, underscoring the severity of the constitutional implications.
Beyond the substantive allegations, the EFF has raised strong objections to Parliament continuing its business through virtual sittings. Maotwe criticized this approach as a downplaying of the matter’s severity and a dereliction of duty, pointing to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. He noted that the parliamentary dome in Pretoria remains idle despite monthly rentals of chairs, tables, air conditioning units, and library facilities specifically established for full physical house sittings.
Maotwe reiterated the EFF’s longstanding advocacy for relocating the legislative capital from Cape Town to the City of Tshwane (Pretoria). He argued that housing both the administrative and legislative branches in the same city would eliminate the wasteful expenditure and time lost traveling between the two cities for brief sessions. Addressing claims that virtual sittings are necessary due to the current campaign season and travel difficulties, Maotwe dismissed this reasoning. He emphasized that the upcoming elections are not national elections, and Members of Parliament retain their responsibility to serve. He further highlighted the EFF’s proposal to synchronize local, provincial, and national elections to ensure a full five-year cycle of uninterrupted service delivery, a measure the ANC has consistently refused.
Despite the ANC holding the highest number of seats, Maotwe asserted that no single party currently enjoys a requisite majority, necessitating constant engagement and coalition-building. He expressed confidence in the motion’s success, noting that the ANC has reportedly lost recent debates within the impeachment committee, even failing to secure alignment from its Government of National Unity (GNU) partners. Maotwe emphasized that political alignments can shift rapidly, and the EFF continues to negotiate with other parties to ensure the Speaker is held impartially and constitutionally accountable.
The discussion also addressed President Ramaphosa’s recent objection to the appointment of Advocate Thandazani Madonsela as the evidence leader for the Section 89 impeachment committee, a move accompanied by ANC members abstaining during committee proceedings. Maotwe characterized the ANC’s stance as confused, alleging that the party’s mandate shifted mid-debate after being defeated on the merits. He clarified that Advocate Madonsela had fully declared any prior professional interactions, including routine releases from Judicial Service Commission (JSC) duties, which apply universally to all advocates and indicate no personal bias or bad blood.
Maotwe concluded that the President’s objections are merely an attempt to frustrate the committee’s proceedings. He stressed that the President cannot dictate the appointment of the evidence leader tasked with investigating his own conduct, and must ultimately accept his responsibility to account to the people of South Africa before Parliament.
