MPs cast their votes for the next National Assembly Speaker
Members of Parliament have started casting their votes for the next National Assembly Speaker.
The ANC has nominated Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) has nominated caucus leader Annelie Lotriet.
The vacancy was created when former Speaker Thandi Modise was appointed defence minister earlier this month.
Members of the National Assembly have gathered in numbers in the House chamber for the first time in over a year.
Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe is presiding and has started by explaining why a new Speaker has to be elected.
“Honourable members, during the resignation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, there is now a vacancy in the Office of the Speaker. Honourable members have been notified in terms of the National Assembly’s Rule 21.1a of the vacancy.”
Meanwhile, acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli has responded to a letter of demand calling on him to stop Mapisa-Nqakula’s election.
He said he had no way to anticipate who would be nominated and could not stop the process.
-EWN
In other news – Loyiso McDonald speaks on life after leaving The Queen
He recently left Mzansi Magic telenovela The Queen after five years of playing the son of a drug-dealing mogul. Loyiso McDonald (35) believed it was time to pursue new ventures and explore different avenues in his acting career.
“I felt it was the right time to leave. I had been there for five years, which is the longest I had spent at any production,” he said. Learn More
