South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma survived the eighth attempt to get rid of him. A vote of no confidence in Zuma was defeated in that country’s parliament today. One hundred seventy seven members voted in favour of the motion while 198 voted against the motion. There were 9 abstentions. Speaker Baleka Mbete on Monday announced that voting on the motion of no confidence in the president would be by secret ballot. Members of the national assembly on Tuesday debated the motion before they voted. The country’s Constitutional Court ruled in June that the speaker can decide on a secret vote. Mbete previously said she does not have the power to allow a secret ballot.