President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Elmond Jiyane, GCIS.
Cape Town - The ATM’s application for a secret ballot in the motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa has been thrown out by the Western Cape High Court.
The court ruled on Friday that Speaker Thandi Modise was correct in her decision for an open ballot.
The ATM had wanted a secret ballot, saying the political environment was toxic.
The application was heard by the Western Cape High Court in February, but the court delivered its judgment on Friday. The court found no basis for a secret ballot and dismissed ATM’s application.
The party first filed the motion early last year, but after the outbreak of the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown this led to the delay in processing the motion.
The party then went to court a few months later demanding that a secret ballot was needed because of a toxic political environment.
But the Speaker had opposed the application, saying there was no justification for a secret ballot.
Parliament had said in December, when the Speaker declined a secret ballot, that there was no evidence of a toxic political environment.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau