South Africa: Opposition pushes for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma

On 8 November 2012, a coalition of South African opposition parties led by the Democratic Alliance (DA) tabled a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, citing constitutional failures, corruption, economic decline, and the Marikana tragedy. The motion is considered unlikely to succeed due to the requirement for a two-thirds majority and the lack of support from the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The document outlines three potential scenarios for creating a stronger opposition: the DA expanding its voter base, the formation of a united opposition coalition, or the emergence of a new political party. Additionally, it highlights reports from the Public Service Commission (PSC) and National Planning Commission (NPC) regarding public sector graft, which cost the government nearly R1 billion, and the need for stricter regulations to end a 'culture of no consequence'.

• On 8 November 2012, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and several other opposition parties tabled a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, citing the Marikana tragedy, poor economy, credit rating downgrades by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, public sector corruption, and failure to uphold the constitution.
• The vote of no confidence is unlikely to succeed because it requires a two-thirds majority, meaning at least 68 ANC Members of Parliament would need to vote in favour alongside the opposition.
• The document identifies three scenarios for achieving a numerically significant opposition: the DA eroding the ANC's base, the formation of a united opposition coalition (deemed unlikely due to ideological differences), or the emergence of a new party capable of addressing corruption and representing the majority of South Africans.
• The Public Service Commission (PSC) reported that public service graft cost the government nearly R1 billion, noting a 'culture of no consequence' among senior managers who hold interests in firms doing business with the government.
• The National Planning Commission (NPC) recommends centralising bid adjudication for large or long-term tenders, strengthening whistle-blower protections, and ensuring robust prosecution for tender fraud.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2012). South Africa: Opposition pushes for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma. https://issafrica.org/research/publication-archives/cpra-daily-briefing/south-africa-opposition-pushes-for-a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-president-jacob-zuma

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. South Africa: Opposition pushes for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma. 2012. https://issafrica.org/research/publication-archives/cpra-daily-briefing/south-africa-opposition-pushes-for-a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-president-jacob-zuma.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=South Africa: Opposition pushes for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma |date=8 November 2012 |url=https://issafrica.org/research/publication-archives/cpra-daily-briefing/south-africa-opposition-pushes-for-a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-president-jacob-zuma |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2012south, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{South Africa: Opposition pushes for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/publication-archives/cpra-daily-briefing/south-africa-opposition-pushes-for-a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-president-jacob-zuma}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }