The fallout over how ANC MPs should vote in the opposition motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma spilt over to the party's national policy conference yesterday, with Police Minister Fikile Mbalula warning MPs to follow the party's voting directions.
The Sunday Times understands Speaker Baleka Mbete's announcement of the August 3 date for the debate came as a shock to the ANC caucus, as party MPs claimed her office had not informed the chief whip's office prior to the release of the statement.
Several ANC MPs such as Mondli Gungubele and Makhosi Khoza have voiced a desire to vote with their consciences or by secret ballot.
Presenting the ANC's discussion document on organisational renewal behind closed doors at Nasrec yesterday, Mbalula told the parliamentary caucus they would not be allowed to vote by secret ballot or according to their consciences.
Sources who attended Mbalula's briefing said the former ANC Youth League president had said the parliamentary caucus was not a constitutional structure with the authority to take independent political decisions.
Another source said: "He told them they must forget about the idea of voting with a conscience; that they have no powers to make such decisions."
Mbalula's remarks are likely to be interpreted as an assault on a caucus that has recently started getting tough on cabinet ministers during oversight committee meetings.
Since national executive committee member Jackson Mthembu took over as chief whip last year, ANC MPs have regained the courage to take on problematic government departments and parastatals.
Mbalula's broadside to the parliamentary caucus is in the same vein as comments made by Zuma on Friday in his political overview. Zuma said there were attempts to pit ANC MPs against his ministers.
"We have to ask ourselves whether we have honed the skills to manage this and the growing attempts to draw a wedge between the executive and the parliamentary caucus of the governing party," said Zuma.
Mbete has given political parties represented in parliament until July 14 to provide arguments for or against a secret ballot.
Some ANC MPs questioned her timing of the announcement, asking why she saw fit to choose the day of Zuma's address.
"I mean, what was the rush? The Constitutional Court did not put a date to this thing. Why not allow the president to deal with the policy conference and deal with the matter of the motion later?" said an MP.
Mbalula was not available for comment at the time of going to press.
