Will it soon be Madam President Mbete?

If the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma succeeds, the entire ANC government will fall and Baleka Mbete will be an acting “super president”.

Zuma will be compelled to resign, and so will his Cabinet, including deputy ministers, because they were appointed by him.

Director of the Centre for Constitutional Rights Phephelaphi Dube said Mbete, as acting president, would then become “the most powerful politician in the country as she would have the power to appoint a new Cabinet as well as deputy ministers”.

Mbete would have to ensure that the process of electing the next president were done as soon as possible.

“The next president will complete the remaining term of office of his predecessor, but may stand for re-election for two terms because the constitution allows that,” Dube said.

The constitutional expert said the removal of the president by a no-confidence motion in terms of section 102 (2) of the constitution is different from his removal according to section 89 of the constitution, which involves an impeachment.

In the case of a removal under section 89, the president loses the benefits that attach to the office, such as pension benefits.

“In the case of a motion of no confidence, he will keep the benefits such as bodyguards, access to state property and other presidential privileges.”

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga, author of the book When Zuma Goes, said: “The problems of this country are bigger than Zuma.

“I think it will take a while until the integrity of the political system is restored. This will take an informed citizenry and cannot rely upon political conflicts between political leaders,” Mathekga said.