MPS have begun making their way to the ballot booths in the two Chambers, to cast a secret vote for the position of Speaker.
Cape Town – MPS have begun making their way to the ballot booths in the two Chambers, to cast a secret vote for the position of Speaker.
Acting Secretary to Parliament Baby Tyawa has started calling the names of MPs, in alphabetical order, to come forward and vote.
The two venues for the voting involve members of all parties except the UDM and EFF. The two have boycotted the election.
MPs are moving in groups of 10 to vote in the four voting booths placed on the floor of the National Assembly.
The other MPs are in a separate venue above the Assembly Chamber.
Videos: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency (ANA)
Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe said he had seen the nomination forms signed by Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Annelie Lotriet accepting their nominations for the position.
The DA is the only party from the opposition benches that has put forward its candidate to challenge the position.
Almost all the parties in the National Assembly have objected to Mapisa-Nqakula’s nomination.
They have cited several allegations against her.
But ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina has come to her defence, saying the allegations had not been tested in a court of law.
She said she remained the candidate for the ANC.
Parliament has said it would follow all Covid-19 protocols to allow for the process to go ahead without hindrance.
At the beginning of the session, acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli asked all MPs present in the House to wear their masks.
The process is expected to last several hours as Parliament had to print the ballot papers after the nomination process was finalised.
This is one of the rules MPs wanted to change last week to enable them to shorten the process.
Political Bureau
