CAPE TOWN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Any vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma "is condemned to failure," South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Thursday in response to a court ruling on an application for a secret ballot.
"Regardless of whether a secret ballot is granted or not in this matter, this motion of no confidence -- like countless others before it -- is nothing but an exercise in political posturing and is condemned to failure," the ANC said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.
Earlier on Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament Speaker Baleka Mbete has the power to decide whether to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma by secret ballots.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng made it clear the court can not decide for Mbete what decision to take, but whatever the decision, it must be rational.
The ANC "welcomes the Constitutional Court's refusal to be abused by opposition parties with no popular mandate wanting to co-govern with the democratically elected government of the people," ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.
"We are confident that the Speaker will apply her mind to the decision before her and we will respect the decision taken in this regard," Kodwa said.
He also said members of the ANC will not be dictated by the unprincipled and undemocratic oppositionist coalition of opposition parties.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) approached the court in April, seeking an order to force a secret ballot in the hope that ANC MPs would be encouraged to vote against Zuma.
Seven votes of no confidence against Zuma have failed in Parliament dominated by ANC MPs.
Opposition parties fielded another vote of no confidence against Zuma in April after Zuma reshuffled the cabinet, sacking Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and other nine ministers.
The vote was originally set for April 18 but was postponed at the request of opposition parties pending the application for the vote to take place by secret ballot.
