National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has survived an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) motion of no confidence after parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) backed her continued leadership of Parliament.
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The motion, tabled by EFF leader Julius Malema, was defeated during a virtual sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday evening. A total of 282 MPs voted against the motion, while 101 supported, reports Sowetan.
The vote effectively ended the EFF’s attempt to remove Thoko from the Speaker’s position over her handling of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s court application relating to the impeachment process.
GNU parties defend Thoko Didiza
The EFF accused Thoko of failing to act impartially and putting political interests ahead of Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities.
According to SABC News, Julius argued that Thoko should have opposed Cyril’s court application, which sought to halt proceedings of the Section 89 impeachment inquiry. Thoko had instead chosen not to oppose the application.
WATCH | EFF leader and MP Julius Malema says the motion of no confidence against National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza is not about political point-scoring, but about defending the impartiality and integrity of the Speaker’s office. pic.twitter.com/wYFZcVtO0H
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 26, 2026
However, parties forming part of the GNU rejected the EFF’s attempt to oust her.
EWN reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA), despite previously criticising Thoko on various issues, confirmed it would vote against the motion. The party argued that removing the Speaker over a legally permissible decision would set a concerning precedent.
ActionSA also announced ahead of the vote that it would reject the motion, saying the EFF’s attempt risked distracting Parliament from issues of accountability.
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EFF falls short
The result represented a decisive defeat for the EFF, which needed substantially more support to remove Thoko.
The motion was the first no-confidence motion against Thoko since she became Speaker in 2024. It also marked one of the more significant tests of political support within the current Parliament.
Following the vote, Julius criticised Thoko and accused her of manipulating political parties.
The EFF leader maintained that the Speaker had failed in her constitutional duties, despite the motion failing to secure the numbers needed for her removal.
Thoko Didiza remains Speaker
Thoko will therefore continue serving as Speaker of the National Assembly.
The vote also highlighted the importance of GNU cooperation in Parliament, with the governing parties effectively joining forces to prevent the EFF from securing the majority needed to remove her.
The EFF’s defeat is likely to keep tensions high between the party and the Speaker, particularly over the handling of the impeachment process involving Cyril.
For now, however, Thoko has secured a clear parliamentary vote of confidence in her position, with 282 MPs rejecting the EFF’s motion.
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