CAPE TOWN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- South African Parliament Speaker announced on Monday that there will be a secret ballot in the upcoming no confidence motion against President Jacob Zuma.
This will be the first time that a no confidence motion through secret ballot against Zuma is to be conducted. Zuma has survived seven no confidence motions by open ballot.
Mbete said at a press briefing in Parliament that she made the decision "without fear or favor" after taking into consideration of all factors regarding the issue.
"I understand that the motion of no confidence is a very important matter, a potent tool to hold executive to account," Mbete said.
The people of South Africa look to Parliament to give direction during challenging times, she said.
Mbete said she adhered to the principle of balance and rationality as well as the value of openness and transparency when making the decision.
She said she has taken due political, legal and Constitutional input in arriving at the decision.
The rand rallied to under R13.20/USD in response to the news, recovering from R13.40/USD hours earlier.
The Constitutional Court empowered Mbete in a ruling in June to decide whether the no confidence motion against Zuma will be held through open or secret ballot.
Opposition parties have been pushing for a secret ballot so as to encourage MPs of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to vote with the opposition to remove Zuma from office.
But the ANC has warned that any of its MPs who support the anti-Zuma no confidence motion risk being disciplined by the party. The party insists that removing Zuma from office would not be in the best interest of the country.
Mbete, however, acknowledged on Monday that MPs have Constitutional obligation to the Republic, and no greater one to their political parties.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has threatend to take legal action against Mbete should she refuse to allow a secret ballot.
The 400-member Parliament is dominated by ANC MPs.
Toppling Zuma requires 50 of the 249 ANC MPs to support the no-confidence motion, scheduled for Tuesday.
Some ANC MPs have indicated that they would vote with their conscence instead of the party line.
A recent survey of market and political analysts by financial holding company Nomura shows that most of those surveyed believe that the no confidence motion would fail regardless of whether it ends up being a secret vote or not.
