Parliament: MPs set to elect a new National Assembly speaker

Parliamentarians are set to elect a new speaker on Thursday, 19 August 2021.

All indications are that former Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will be occupying the seat Thandi Modise left vacant. This after the ANC caucus announced it was nominating her for the post.

CRITICISM TOWARDS NOSIVIWE MAPISA-NQAKULA’S NOMINATION

Mapisa-Nqakula’s nomination has caused quite a stir – two political analysts political analysts Dr Onkgopotse JJ Tabane and Lukhona Mnguni as well as an organisation Called  The New Nation Movement have issued a lawyers’ letter to acting  speaker Lechesa Tsenoli.

“The actions of the president were widely welcomed by our clients because they believed that the removal and/or dismissal of Mapisa-Nqakula from the Cabinet was effected as a result of her long history of allegations of corruption and misgovernance, involving, inter alia, misuse of public funds and facilities, and nepotism, to mention a few,” the letter issued by Mabuza Attorneys reads.

They claim the decision to nominate Mapisa-Nqakula was imposed on the ANC caucus by the party’s chairperson Gwede Mantashe.

“President Ramaphosa improperly and incorrectly conflated his role as president of the Republic and president of the ANC; Ms Mapisa-Nqakula is not a fit and proper person to occupy the important position of Speaker of the National Assembly and her nomination to that position is self-evidently irrational”

Mabuza Attorneys

The ANC holds 230 of the 400 seats, which means the post is basically hers, even if the opposition vote against it. Mapisa-Nqakula has come under fierce criticism over how she has performed in Cabinet, particularly in her last portfolio.

The NNM, Mnguni and Tabane don’t want the ballot to go ahead. However they insist that should it continue, it should be held via secret ballot.

“In the event that the ballot is nevertheless held, which should not happen, that a secret ballot be held; and if the above demands are not met, to furnish us with reasons thereof. Failure to act as aforesaid may result in our clients approaching the court for appropriate relief,”

Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe will be presiding over the sitting.