ATM ‘interdicts Mapisa-Nqakula for denying’ it excising its motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa using secret ballot

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) is calling for a nullification of a decision by the National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, forcing it to vote in an open ballot for a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a statement on Thursday, Mapisa-Nqakula said motions received from both the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) will be voted on in an open ballot on March 30, 2022.
She said the DA’s no-confidence motion to the cabinet, excluding President Ramaphosa, did not include a request for a secret ballot.
The Speaker said she turned down the second ATM request in February for a no-confidence motion against the President to be carried out by secret ballot.
The National ATM spokesperson, Sibusiso Mnewabe, said his party had no choice but to explore various avenues open to ATM to compel the Speaker to justify the power of the people assigned to her in line with case law and the Constitution of the country.
“We have already briefed our lawyers to urgently approach the court to interdict the irrational decision of the Speaker.”
Mnewabe said it is not the intention of the ATM to litigate in public and, therefore, ATMs will publicly discuss the merits of what would be contained in the interdict, save to say the ATM rejects the open ballot, which can only be a farce.
“Once the legal documents are ready and submitted to court, the ATM will share them publicly,” added Mnewabe.