Bhisho’s sergeant-at-arms in London for conference
BHISHO legislature watchman Thembekile Mzantsi and about 100 counterparts from other Commonwealth countries jet off to the UK today to witness how the law is maintained in parliament.
Mzantsi, a sergeant-at-arms at the Bhisho legislature since 1999, will be one of only three South Africans to attend the Association of Sergeants-at-Arms Professional Development Conference in London from July 27 to 31.
The week-long trip will see him rubbing shoulders with sergeantsat-arms from 53 Commonwealth member countries.
Others who will join him on the trip are the national parliament’s sergeant-at-arms, Regina Mohlomi, and parliament’s and national council of province’s usher of the black robe, Vincent Shabalala.
They will visit the London-based Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Mzantsi, a former MK combatant and provincial VIP protection unit member, said he was excited about this trip.
“There is only one sergeant-atarms in the province and not all legislatures in the country have active sergeants-at-arms.
“For me attending this conference will assist the province in learning about best practices in how to maintain law and order in our legislature, to prevent the disorder which is evident in other legislative houses,” said Mzantsi.
The programme will include attending various presentations including one on security threats at legislative houses, where they are set to debate parliamentary security challenges and strategies to counter those.
The delegates will also attend a service to mark 600 years since the first sergeant-at-arms, Nicholas Maudit, was appointed.
A sergeant-at-arms is a member of the parliamentary or legislature staff who acts as the official guardian of the mace, a decorated rod which is a symbol of the authority of the provincial legislatures and the national parliament.
The sergeant-at-arms is also responsible for maintaining the attendance register of members in the house, while he or she must also maintain order and remove people from the house if ordered to do so by the legislature or parliament speaker.