CLOSE to 4 000 people attended yesterday’s first sitting of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature.
Members of the public were taxied in to attend the event which saw Dr Zamani Saul unanimously elected as the sixth premier of the Province.
Judge President of the Northern Cape, Judge Pule Tlaletsi, swore in Saul as well as the other Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) at the Mittah Seperepere Centre.
As each member of the ANC was sworn in the gallery erupted into cheers, prompting Tlaletsi to state: “This is a very solemn occasion, not a graduation.”
The loudest cheer on the day, however, belonged to former Sol Plaatje Municipality executive mayor, Mangaliso Matika. The crowd were on their feet, singing and cheering as he was first sworn in as a MPL and then as deputy Speaker.
Newrene Klaaste was sworn in as Speaker.
The biggest boo came when the leader of the official opposition, Andrew Louw was sworn in.
As Tlaletsi made his way through the opposition parties, there was a bit of a pause as the EFF’s Shadrack Thlaole refused to take the oath in English, preferring to do so in Setswana.
Once he had been sworn in and made his way back to his seat, Thlaole removed his red helmet and placed it on Saul’s head.
The veterans were well represented and Saul thanked them in his inauguration speech. “My deepest gratitude goes to the ANC volunteers and the glorious veterans of our movement. The veterans should continue to guide us at all times and serve as the living conscious and embodiment of the pristine revolutionary values that defined the character of our struggle against apartheid colonialism.”
Saul will be officially inaugurated on May 28 in Lerato Park.