'Don't test us': Zille warns Ramaphosa that tabling no-confidence motion in him not an idle threat

CAPE TOWN – Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chair Helen Zille said that tabling a motion of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa was not an idle threat. 

She said that by not acting against corruption-accused within the African National Congress (ANC)’s ranks, Ramaphosa was proving not to be any different from them.

On Saturday, the DA dug in its heels, saying that it would not be withdrawing from the Government of National Unity (GNU) despite its outrage at the firing of its Eastern Cape leader, Andrew Whitfield, as a deputy minister. 

Ramaphosa cancelled his travel to Spain over the weekend to manage the fallout. 

Groupings, both within the DA and the ANC, want the parties to terminate their working relationship within the GNU.

But the DA remains adamant that it won’t leave on a whim.

However, Zille said Ramaphosa must not test her party. 

"I like to live by the three strikes, and you are out, maxim. So, this is the second big strike, and believe me, we discussed at length about a motion of no confidence in the president."

Despite the DA’s federal executive opting not to go this route in response to what the party believes has been a disproportionate sanction for Whitfield, Zille said that a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa was not off the table. 

"If the president shows that he’s indistinguishable from the corrupt radical economic transformation faction in his party, well then, there’s no point in being in a coalition with him at all. So, we are saying, don’t test us because we are prepared to use the nuclear option."

For now, the party has chosen to withdraw from the National Dialogue, a move that could see the president’s wrath shift to other DA ministers.

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