Thokozile Didiza was elected as Speaker during the first sitting of the 7th Parliament of South Africa held on Friday at the CTICC. Picture:Ian Landsberg/Independent Media
The National Assembly (NA) has appointed the ANC’s Cedric Frolick, the DA’s Werner Horn and the IFP’s Zandile Majozi as House Chairpersons.
This decision follows the election process stipulated by parliamentary protocols.
According to the NA Rule 14, the Speaker allocates functions and responsibilities to each House Chairperson and announces this in the parliamentary publication for Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports.
Simultaneously, the NA also finalized appointments to represent on prominent Parliament on the international bodies of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the South African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADCPF).
Members elected to the PAP included ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli, the DA’s Mergan Chetty, the MKP’s Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, and the EFF’s Vuyani Pambo.
In addition, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, was elected as the fifth member to represent Parliament at the Pan-African Parliament.
The PAP, headquartered in Midrand, plays a vital role in facilitating discussing and decision making across African states.
It focusses on crucial issues such as human rights, democratic institutions, governance and law enforcement. Additionally, it promotes policy coordination among regional economic communities and other African Parliamentary bodies.
In parallel, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, Sylvia Lucas, Kenneth Mmoiemang, Babalo Madikizela, David Skosana, and Veronica Mente were appointed to represent Parliament in the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).
‘’The forum is a regional inter-parliamentary body composed of 15 parliaments representing over 3500 parliamentarians in the SADC region. It aims to provide a platform for parliaments and parliamentarians to promote and improve regional integration in the SADC region.
‘’Among the Forum’s key objectives are also the promotion of human rights, gender equality, good governance, democracy, and transparency; accelerating the pace of economic cooperation, development and integration based on equity and mutual benefits; as well as facilitating networking with other inter-parliamentary organisations,’’ Parliament of South Africa said.
Furthermore , the NA designated Molapi Lekganyane, Fasiha Hassan, Adv Glynnis Breytenbach, Dr John Hlophe, Julius Malema, and Athol Trollip to serve on the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).
‘’The JSC was established in terms of Section 178 of the Constitution, and its function is to select fit and proper persons for appointment as judges and to investigate complaints about judicial officers.
‘’It also advises government on any matters relating to the judiciary or to the administration of justice,’’ said the Parliament of South Africa.
IOL