By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Chief justice Raymond Zondo has declared June 14 as the date of the first sitting of the National Assembly and June 15 the first sitting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
The date puts pressure on political parties to reach an agreement on the appointment of the speaker of the National Assembly.
According to the statement, after legislators are sworn in, Zondo will preside over the election of the speaker of the National Assembly, who will then preside over the election of the deputy speaker.
“After the deputy speaker is elected, the chief justice will then take over again and preside over the election of the president,” said the statement.
As far as the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), or the upper house of the parliament, is concerned, the chief justice has determined that its first sitting will be held Saturday.
“The chief justice will swear in, and administer the prescribed affirmation to members of the NCOP and thereafter preside over the election of the chairperson of the NCOP. Thereafter, the chairperson of the NCOP will preside over the election of the deputy chairperson of the NCOP,” the statement said.
Zondo has also designated judges-president in the provinces of the country to determine the first sittings of the provincial legislatures in their respective provinces.
The sitting will be the first time that the African National Congress (ANC) does not have a majority in parliament, having its support drop to 40%.
The party suffered widespread losses to the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, which is led by former ANC and former President Jacob Zuma.
After the MK Party said it would boycott the sitting because it was dissatisfied with the results, Parliament CEO Xolile George cancelled the flights and accommodation for the MK MPs to prevent fruitless expenditure.
Meanwhile expelled MK Party founder Jabulani Khumalo insists he will attend the first sitting of the National Assembly to get sworn in as a Member of Parliament (MP).
Khumalo’s name was not removed from the party’s final list to Parliament, despite clashing publicly with the party, even taking them to court.
He appears as number one on the list of people to represent the organisation in Parliament.
In a media statement released on Monday, Khumalo urged all the 57 other MK Party members to show up when Parliament’s seventh administration convenes for the first time.