New MPLs to be sworn in
ALL NEW Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) will be sworn in on Wednesday during the first sitting of the 5th Northern Cape Provincial Legislature.
According to the Constitution of the Republic, the first sitting of the Legislature must take place within 14 days after the election results have been declared.
All candidates on the respective designated party lists will be sworn in as MPLs, where each MPL must affirm faithfulness to the Republic and obedience to the Constitution before assuming his or her functions.
The spokeswoman for the Office of the Speaker, Mpho Masina, said at the weekend that Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo will preside over the election of the new Premier and Speaker of the Legislature.
“The Speaker will then preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker. The Premier will announce the six permanent delegates to represent the Northern Cape at the National Council of Provinces,” Masina said.
The 64.40 percent votes that the ANC received in the Province at the elections earns it 20 seats in the Legislature and the DA’s 23.89 percent votes have earned the party seven seats.
The ANC is a majority party at the Legislature and will lead the provincial government while the DA will now be the official opposition in the Legislature.
EFF’s 4.96 percent votes earned it two seats while Cope’s 3.60 percent has earned the party one seat.
Some of the seasoned politicians the ANC is sending to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature include the party’s provincial chairman John Block, his deputy Kenny Mmoiemang, deputy provincial secretary Alvin Botes, Sylvia Lucas and Mac Jack.
Among some of the new faces the party is sending to the Legislature is the party’s Frances Baard regional chairman Thapelo Dithebe and the provincial chairman of the SACP, Maruping Lekwene.
The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Pauline Williams and that of Environmental Affairs, Patrick Mabilo are not on the list of the 20 people that the ANC is sending to the Legislature.
Mabilo’s name, however, appears on the ANC list for candidates who are going to represent it at the National Assembly.
The ANC’s provincial secretary, Zamani Saul, said the party was sending a competent team to the Legislature.
“These are seasoned members who have experience. They will hit the ground running in their efforts to accelerate service delivery in the Province. They will work hard to ensure that we move the Province forward.”
The DA is also sending its seasoned leaders to the Legislature including, Andrew Louw and Harold McGluwa.
Among the new faces the party is deploying to the Legislature include Boitumelo Babuseng and Pule Thole.
“We are bringing to the Legislature new members who have experience from outside in the corporate world and from the public.”
He added that although the party was not at this point looking at coalition politics in the Province, it will certainly “co-operate with other opposition parties in the Legislature to advance the interests of voters in the Province”.
The EFF is sending its leaders Aubrey Baardman and Mmabatho Mokause to the Legislature. “We are going to the Legislature to represent those mine workers who were killed in Marikana and those who are still fighting for better salaries in the mines.”