By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Assembly will vote on Kholeka Gcaleka’s appointment as Public Protector on the 19th of October, following the delay to secure a venue to accommodate its 400 members.
The assembly’s programming committee initially planned for the vote to consider Gcaleka’s nomination for the post to be held on September 11, the same day it considered the section 194 committee’s recommendation to remove Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office.
But the voting on both matters could see proceedings concluding late and proposed the vote on Gcaleka’s appointment be moved to a later date.
At Thursday’s meeting of the National Assembly Programming Committee, it was decided that the debate and vote will take place on 19 October in the City Hall, allowing all MPs to be physically present at the venue.
It is essential for the ANC that their benches are full. There is a threshold of 60% support for the appointment of the Public Protector.
The DA, EFF and FF Plus have indicated that they would not support her nomination, and, had it not been for the IFP indicating its support, it could have been tough going for the ANC to garner the required votes.
It is thus expected that the ANC will, like it did for the vote on Mkhwebane’s removal, call a three-line whip – a strict instruction from a party’s whippery that all members must attend a vote and that they must vote according to the party line.
The programming committee decided on the roll-call voting system for the nomination, which requires each MP to answer “yes” or “no” when called.
Mkhwebane’s term comes to on end on 14 October. Gcaleka only being appointed five days later shouldn’t be an issue.
She remains Deputy Public Protector until her appointment, and is currently acting as Public Protector.
The nominated candidate requires a vote of at least 60% (240 MPs), while at least two-thirds support (267 MPs) is required to remove a public protector from office.