The Northern Cape Legislature says it is not anticipating any disruptions during the first sitting of the seventh administration on Friday. At least five parties are expected to be in the chambers for the swearing in of new members, the election and nomination of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Premier.
The voting for the three positions is expected to happen through a secret ballot.
The secretary of the hung Northern Cape Legislature says they are expecting all 30 members from various political parties to take their seats for the seventh legislative term.
Fifteen of the seats belong to the African National Congress (ANC), four seats to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), seven seats to the Democratic Alliance (DA), three seats to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and one seat to the Freedom Front Plus. The secretary of the legislature says they are ready for any eventuality.
“We do have internal security in the legislature that would be responsible for the doors and everything. But we are not expecting any security breaches, or you know any actions. Yes, if anything happens, we’ll be ready,” says Legislature Secreatry Patrick Moopelwa.
With the ANC having the same seats as the opposition, the legislature will be guided by the constitution should there be a tie on who should be the Speaker, Deputy Speaker or Premier.
“If you go to schedule two of the constitution, it indicates the process that we need to follow if there is a tie. So, if anything happens, we might have to suspend the sitting for about seven days. You know if we are having equal votes, but we are hoping that members or the parties would have spoken, you know, to each other so that we have a very, very progressive, you know, sitting,” Moopelwa explains.
Northern Cape Judge President Pule Tlaletsi is expected to oversee the sitting. The doors of the legislature would be opened to at least 150 people including the public.
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