Dr. Pieter Mulder talks about pres. Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Screenshot)
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa decided to fight on Monday evening, after initially wanting to flee in the previous round.
“This is because he probably knows that the ANC will end up protecting him this time, just like in the case of his predecessor, former president Jacob Zuma,” explains Dr. Pieter Mulder, one of the country’s longest-serving members of parliament, now.
Mulder served under seven presidents – from PW Botha to Ramaphosa – before stepping down as an MP. He worked very closely with the ANC during his time in parliament.
Mulder believes that Ramaphosa is finally back in control of his party these days, after several members of the so-called Zuma camp within the ANC have defected to the uMkhonto weSizwe party (MKP).
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa (Foto: ANC/X)
He says the ANC has therefore been “cleansed” of those who, as a rule, were opposed to Ramaphosa.
“And there is no way that the ANC will throw you to the dogs if you are in control. If you are in control of the ANC, they are going to protect you. They are going to stop you,” he explains.
Mulder recalls that during his time as president, Zuma faced eight motions of no confidence. Members of the ANC even sold a swimming pool at Nkandla as a fire pit.
“They protected him every time. Until the end.”
This does not mean that other parties will not now try to remove Ramaphosa.
Motion of no confidence may come
Mulder says it is still possible that a motion of no confidence can be brought against Ramaphosa and that the motion could possibly serve in parliament.
There are currently two articles of the Constitution in question after the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the parliamentary process for the possible removal of a president from office.
Article 98 of the Constitution states that a president can be placed in a state of impeachment. “This is the process that is currently underway,” explains Mulder.
Article 102 of the Constitution states that a motion of no confidence can be brought against the president to remove him from office. However, the motion needs a 50% majority to pass.
The ATM and the MKP have both already submitted a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa to Thoko Didiza, speaker of the National Assembly, for consideration.
“The speaker will now have to decide whether she will deal with it or not,” explains Mulder.
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa in the National Assembly. (Photo: SA Government/X)
Should there be a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa in parliament, Ramaphosa will want to rely on his partners in the government of national unity (GNE).
Mulder believes that the parties, including the DA, are then in trouble. “If they vote in favor of the motion and it passes, it will mean that every cabinet minister is removed along with Ramaphosa,” he explains.
Should the parties vote against the motion, it will also complicate their lives if they want to oppose it later when the impeachment committee has to decide whether Ramaphosa should be placed in a state of impeachment.
“It’s a difficult situation to deal with,” Mulder admits.
Mulder ultimately believes that Ramaphosa will survive a motion of no confidence if it is submitted. “And I think he will get through the committee in the end too.”
However, Mulder believes there was a shorter, more simple path to follow than the so-called review route that Ramaphosa chose on Monday evening.
Watch the full interview here: