CAPE TOWN - National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has survived the EFF's motion of no confidence against her.
In an online sitting on Wednesday, 282 MPs voted against the motion while 101 voted in favour of removing Didiza.
The motion was brought by the EFF, which accused Didiza of failing to protect Parliament.
READ | EFF to test Speaker Didiza’s support in no-confidence vote
Didiza chose not to oppose President Cyril Ramaphosa’s interdict application, which was later granted in his favour and temporarily halted public hearings of the impeachment inquiry.
In its argument, EFF claimed Didiza had been biased in handling legal matters linked to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment inquiry.
“Unfortunately, over the last 15 years, a culture of prioritising the party and the elected President over the Constitution and oversight has come to characterise those who occupy this office,” he said.
READ | Didiza faces no-confidence motion from EFF
Malema had argued that the Speaker must be non-partisan and serve the institution, not a political party.
“To be Speaker of the National Assembly is a role that comes with a great responsibility. One that requires the ability to distinguish between serving the political organisation that deployed you as a Member of Parliament and serving the Constitution to which you take an oath once you are elected Speaker by a majority in this House.
“That oath is owed to all 400 members of this House and to the public who elected them, not merely to the party that put you here as a Speaker,” he added.
This was the first motion against her since she became Speaker two years ago.