South Africa’s Parliament Speaker Survives No-confidence Motion

South Africa’s National Assembly has rejected an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) motion seeking to remove Speaker Thoko Didiza over allegations that she mishandled proceedings linked to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment inquiry. The EFF accused Didiza of failing to defend Parliament by declining to oppose Ramaphosa’s application to halt the proceedings. Didiza countered by saying she was respecting the court’s ruling. Several opposition parties, including the EFF, MK Party, and UTA, supported the motion, but the ANC, Democratic Alliance, and other parties opposed it. The vote ended decisively, with 282 lawmakers voting against the motion and 101 supporting it. The result strengthens Didiza’s position and demonstrates that South Africa’s governing coalition remains capable of defeating challenges to its leadership. More broadly, the vote highlights continuing political tensions surrounding Ramaphosa’s impeachment process and the balance of power inside Parliament.