Parliament confident in its voting procedures to elect new president, Speaker, Deputy Speaker

CAPE TOWN - Parliament is confident its voting procedures are watertight enough to produce a new president, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly by the end of Friday. 

In one of many firsts, the African National Congress (ANC) will be going into Friday’s first sitting of the seventh administration without an outright majority.  

It will be hoping for support from its new political partners to back candidates put forward for election. 

But it does not rule out those on the fringes of the proposed government of national unity from contesting the positions.

While the MK Party has already indicated its 58 members will not be pitching to be sworn in as new MPs on Friday, secretary to Parliament, Xolile George said that Parliament had made arrangements for all designated MPs who indicated they wished to travel to Cape Town for the ceremony. 

"It's not a choice of Parliament to prevent members to come, nor is it a plan of Parliament not to enable members to come."

However, Parliament said the absence of some members would not impact on the election processes for new office bearers. 

"One-third of members present constitute a quorum. That is one-third of 400 members of Parliament." 

MPs will be sworn in from 10am followed by the election of the Speaker at 2pm and then the Deputy Speaker and finally the president.