I know, you feel like you’ve heard it before and Zuma soldiers on.

That might be the case once again, but at the very least the ConCourt ruling from earlier today will give him real cause for concern.

First up here’s EWN with the basics:

The Constitutional Court has ruled that National Speaker Baleka Mbete has the power to decide on a secret ballot in the proposed no-confidence vote in President Jacob Zuma.

The matter was brought by the UDM, EFF and Cope last month, asking the court to give Parliament the go ahead to vote in secret in a motion of no confidence against the president.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says Mbete was wrong to say a secret ballot vote is not allowed in a motion of no confidence.

So Mbete has had some shade thrown in her direction, and she may now come to regret earlier statements about how she is “not really opposed to a secret ballot”.

The DA were understandably stoked with the decision – here’s James Selfe:

#SecretBallot DA’s James Selfe says this creates ‘an opportunity to remove a toxic president’ @news24 pic.twitter.com/FrGt68SeGw

— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) June 22, 2017

More of the DA’s joy via Times LIVE:

Regardless of today’s ruling by the Constitutional Court‚ the Democratic Alliance’s vote in the upcoming Motion of No Confidence in President Jacob Zuma will be no secret. The DA will vote to fire Jacob Zuma – and we call on every other Member of Parliament‚ from all political parties‚ to do the same.

The Motion of No Confidence in President Zuma is a pivotal moment for our country and its future. Jacob Zuma has abandoned the interests of the people‚ the economy‚ and South Africa‚ in favour of a kleptocratic Guptamocracy. We cannot allow this to continue any longer.

Of course for any vote of no confidence to succeed, ANC members would need to vote against JZ. The party has come out swinging, saying that will never be the case.

This from IOL:

ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said on Thursday they welcomed the judgement of the Constitutional Court to clarify the role of the Speaker on the secret ballot…

Mthembu said they stand by their decision that they would not back any motion to remove Zuma.

“As the ANC caucus, we will engage positively in all avenues that our rules give the Speaker to engage on this matter that has been ventilated in the Constitutional Court,” said the ANC chief whip.

“Notwithstanding these matters and the effects of the engagements that will ensue in the rules committee, we are still steadfast that whether such engagement will result in a vote by secret ballot or not, we have unqualified and unequivocal confidence in the ANC caucus not to vote in support of a motion to remove the President of the ANC who is also the President of the Republic of South Africa and our government from office,” said Mthembu.

Nothing new there, but for the first time ever ANC members may have the option to vote without fear of being ousted for switching allegiance.

So, will Speaker Baleka Mbete go through with the option of calling that secret ballot? From 2:20 below, and then skip ahead to 6:20 to see what would happen if a vote of no confidence were actually successful:

That’s right, Mbete herself would be the de facto president. Spicy.

I guess we can only live in hope that some ANC members grow a conscience, or a backbone, and rid our country of a truly despicable man.

Once that task has been ticked off, the aim should then be to ensure that another Zuma (here’s looking at you, Nkosazana Dlamini) never rules the roost again.

[sources:ewn&iol&timeslive&new24]