South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived a fourth no-confidence vote in Parliament amid multiple allegations of corruption. For the first time, the vote was held through a secret ballot, with the Opposition party hoping this would encourage some members of Zuma’s African National Congress party to move against him. However, 177 MPs voted to have him removed, as against 198 who voted in his favour.

Zuma and has Cabinet would have had to resign had he lost the vote, which his supporters called a “soft coup” attempt by the Opposition. Zuma has been accused, among other things, of using government money to build a luxurious private home, and also unduly being close to the super-rich Gupta family.