In league: Free State Premier Ace Magashule remains a staunch supporter of President Jacob Zuma. Others have ditched him.
For a few moments, the crowd of ANC supporters outside parliament fell nervously silent as National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete announced the results of the secret vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma.
Despite the slim margin of 11 votes that kept Zuma in power, jubilant celebrations ensued among the group of about three hundred people who gathered outside the the parliamentary precinct in Cape Town.
As the celebrations started, Maskandi artist Mroza’s Sobulala Van Damme was blasted through the speakers. Zuma famously referenced the song during a question and answer session in parliament, and sang along to it at his 75th birthday in Soweto earlier this year.
Head of the ANC’s organising committee Fikile Mbalula celebrated with the crowd and said the DA’s “stooges” have been defeated.
“There are those who have been asking about our conscience. We’ve got the political conscience to keep the ANC in power forever. The ANC has been tested over time, this is not the first or the last time,” Mbalula said.
A member of the ANC Youth League who also addressed the crowd called for the 20 ANC MPs who voted in favour of the motion must be disciplined or removed from parliament.
Zuma arrived on stage to loud cheers.