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- A no-confidence motion against National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is going ahead.
- Mapisa-Nqakula stands accused of receiving over R2 million in bribes from a defence contractor during her time as defence minister.
- The DA has argued that the motion should be tabled in the National Assembly as early as next week.
Acting National Assembly Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli has acceded to the DA's request for a no-confidence motion against under-fire Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
On Tuesday, Tsenoli wrote to DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube advising her of his decision to accept her proposed motion as "being substantively in order".
Tsenoli received a notice of motion from Gwarube proposing the removal of Mapisa-Nqakula from office, citing various allegations of improper conduct.
Mapisa-Nqakula stands accused of receiving over R2 million in bribes from a defence contractor during her time as defence minister.
It is still unclear when the motion will be tabled. Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the appropriate scheduling of the motion would be announced once ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina has been consulted.
READ | Mapisa-Nqakula gets week-long reprieve from arrest as her lawyer slams judge for 'interrupting' him
Gwarube said the DA welcomes the action against Mapisa-Nqakula.
"The motion will now be considered by the House in due course. The rules of the National Assembly are clear. The motion to remove a Speaker or the deputy Speaker must be considered urgently. Considering that this Parliament remains competent until May, there is no reason a special sitting of Parliament should not be called as early as next week to consider this important motion," Gwarube said.
Section 54(2) of the Constitution states that the National Assembly may remove a Speaker or deputy Speaker from office by resolution, with a majority of Assembly members present when the resolution is adopted.
"This section is enacted through Rule 28 of the National Assembly Rules, which specifies that the House may remove the Speaker or deputy Speaker from office by resolution, in accordance with Section 52(4) of the Constitution.
"In line with the Rules of the National Assembly, the acting Speaker must give an approved motion under this rule due priority. Before scheduling it, he is also required to consult with the chief whip of the majority party as required by Rule 28(5)," Mothapo said.
Furthermore, Mothapho said a motion for the removal of the Speaker from office must comply, to the satisfaction of the deputy Speaker, "with the prescripts of any relevant law or rules and orders of the House, including directives and guidelines approved by the rules committee. This motion must be placed on the Order Paper and must detail the grounds for the proposed removal".
