Allowing a motion of no confidence is not an act of charitable novelty on the part of the ANC, but a constitutionally prescribed obligation on the Speaker of Parliament. The serious mistake the ANC (or at least a faction within it) is currently laboring under, is the belief that it will get rid of Jacob Zuma after its December conference. What is clear is that the ANC is divided, with no sign of unity post the conference. If the Zuma faction wins (or in this case retains) the leadership of the ANC, the Ramaphosa faction (or at least the faction(s) opposed to Zuma) will rue the numerous missed opportunities they had to get rid of Jacob Zuma.