MOTIONS OF NO CONFIDENCE: DA TO PREPARE BILL LIMITING THESE AT NATIONAL & PROVINCIAL LEVELS

MOTIONS OF NO CONFIDENCE: DA TO PREPARE BILL LIMITING THESE AT NATIONAL & PROVINCIAL LEVELS

• 25 March 2023
• Justice & Constitutional Development
• SA Legal Academy

The DA’s Siviwe Gwarube has called for input on the contents of Bill to limit the number of motions of no confidence per annum to be brought against a President or provincial premier – other than in ‘exceptional circumstances’. In Gwarube’s view, this would help ‘steady’ coalition governments, which she believes are likely to become ‘the new norm’ following next year’s general election.

Gazetted on 25 March 2023 and backdated, the notice concerned cites ‘political attacks on coalition governments’ at municipal level as an example of what could happen should South Africa’s ruling party ‘slip below 50% of the vote’ at national or provincial level. Gwarube believes coalition governments should be allowed ‘enough time to actually make a difference’. In the context of national parliament or a provincial legislature, motions of no confidence ‘brought on spurious grounds’ could make the situation ‘ungovernable’.

Interested and affected parties have until 23 April to submit comments on the legislation envisaged, which would take the form of a Constitution Amendment Bill.

• Government Gazette notice

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

0 COMMENTS

LEAVE A COMMENT