The National Assembly (NA) has elected Cedric Frolick, Werner Horn and Zandile Majozi to serve as House Chairpersons during a plenary session on Tuesday.
Following the House Chairpersons’ election, National Assembly Rule 14 provides that the Speaker allocates functions and responsibilities to each House Chairperson and announces this in the Parliamentary publication for Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports.
During the same sitting, the House elected members to represent Parliament on the international bodies of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the South African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADCPF).
Mdumiseni Ntuli, Mergan Chetty, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and Vuyani Pambo will represent Parliament in the PAP in terms of Article 4(2) and (3) of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Pan-African Parliament.
With its seat in Midrand, the PAP provides a platform for people from all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent, including matters pertaining to respect for human rights, the consolidation of democratic institutions and the culture of democracy, as well as the promotion of good governance and the rule of law.
The PAP, also promotes the co-ordination and harmonisation of policies, measures, programmes, and activities of the regional economic communities and the parliamentary fora of Africa.
The House also resolved to elect Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane (Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces) as the fifth member to represent Parliament at the Pan-African Parliament.
Meanwhile, Thoko Didiza (Speaker of the National Assembly), Sylvia Lucas, Kenneth Mmoiemang, Babalo Madikizela, David Skosana, and Veronica Mente will 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 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.
The House also designated Molapi Lekganyane, Fasiha Hassan, Adv Glynnis Breytenbach, John Hlophe, Julius Malema, and Athol Trollip to represent Parliament 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. – SAnews.gov.za
