PARLIAMENT – Parliament released a set of rules and procedures that will be followed when Members of Parliament vote on a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday afternoon.

In contrast to previous motions, the vote for this one will be held via a secret ballot, set to start at 2pm in the National Assembly.

These are the procedures that will be followed ahead of ballots being cast:

• First, a debate will be held in the National Assembly on the motion of no confidence, after which business will be suspended in order to allow for preparation of the National Assembly Chamber for the secret ballot vote.

• Bells will be rung to alert MPs that business will resume and the doors of the NA Chamber will be locked for voting.

• Ballot papers and boxes will be provided.

• The question to be voted upon will be printed on the ballot paper, with the following options: YES, NO or ABSTAIN.

• There will be two ballot boxes and four voting booths, of which one will be wheelchair accessible.

• The empty boxes will be shown to MPs and sealed with cable ties.

This is the process that will be followed when MPs entered the chamber to vote:

• A control sheet will be prepared beforehand with MPs’ names.

• Members will be called in alphabetic order to collect ballot papers from the voting table.

• Each ballot paper issued will be stamped before being given to each MP.

• Names of MPs who have been issued with ballot papers will be crossed out on the control sheet.

• Members will proceed to one of the four booths to vote.

• Each member must vote and may only vote once.

• Once all members present have voted, the Speaker will direct that the ballot boxes be closed and sealed.

• The opening slit on the lid of the ballot box (for insertion of ballot papers) will also be sealed after the ballots are cast.

CATCH IT LIVE: MPs get ready to make their mark in secret

The counting process will then begin:

• The Speaker will request each party to designate one Whip or representative to witness the counting process.

• Business will be suspended for counting.

• A counting room will be set aside and monitored by the Sergeant-at-arms and the Parliamentary Protection Services.

• Counting of the ballot papers will take place under the supervision of the Speaker and in the presence of the Whips or party representatives.

• All ballot boxes will be opened in the presence of the Speaker, Whips or party representatives.

• Votes will be sorted, counted and audited in the presence of the Speaker, Whips or party representatives.

• The Secretary to the National Assembly will sign off the result before handing it over to the Speaker.

• No one may disclose the results, in any way whatsoever, before the Speaker announces the results in the Assembly.

The results will then be announced:

• Bells will be rung to alert members to the resumption of business.

• Once business resumes, the Speaker will announce the results in the NA Chamber.

After the process is over, the ballot papers will be stored in archive boxes, which will be sealed with cable ties and wax and stored in a safe. The archive boxes may only be opened by order of the Speaker or a court of law.

Procedure for Voting by Secret Ballot in National Assembly https://t.co/ED6avP0gqb #VotingProcess #SecretBallot pic.twitter.com/owNYZrkF1X

— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) August 8, 2017

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