KZN Premier Thami Ntuli survives no confidence vote, police called to remove unruly MPLs
The motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli has failed after an open ballot on Monday.
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
A motion of no confidence brought by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party to remove Premier Thami Ntuli failed following an open ballot held in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Monday.
Chaos erupted after KZN Speaker Nontembeko Boyce announced that the motion had not passed and confirmed that Ntuli would remain in office.
“The motion has failed. Honourable Ntuli remains the premier. The house is adjourned,” Boyce said after announcements of the results of the open vote.
The MK Party and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members had demanded a secret ballot instead of the open ballot ruled on by the Speaker.
The MK Party had argued that some members had received threats and would not feel free to vote openly, insisting that a secret ballot was necessary to ensure safety and fairness.
When this was turned down by Boyce, the MK Party and EFF members began singing songs delaying the proceedings.
The police were eventually called in to restore order in the House and remove the unruly members.
“Asina uvalo ngalento esiyenzayo (We have no fear of what we are doing),” they sang.
Some MK Party members resisted, shouting, “Guns are not allowed in the house,” as proceedings were temporarily suspended.
The motion required at least 41 votes to pass in the 80-member legislature.
Following the vote, Dean Macpherson, DA provincial chairperson tweeted: “KZN GPU made up of the IFP-ANC-DA-NFP coalition has defeated the MK-EFF motion of no confidence in Premier Thami Ntuli 40-39.”
The MK Party had sought to remove Ntuli in an effort to take control of the provincial government, arguing that he leads an underperforming administration plagued by corruption and financial mismanagement.
This is despite the party having won the largest share of the vote in last year’s provincial elections.