Former Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane elected NCOP chair

JOHANNESBURG - Newly-elected National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane has spoken of the need for the house to strengthen its relationship with the provinces.
 
Mtsweni-Tsipane was elected to her new position at the first sitting of the NCOP at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday.

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"The NCOP must foster and maintain a dynamic relationship with provinces, particularly the provincial legislatures as well as the communities we serve," she said during her inaugural address to the house.

"It is my sincere hope that permanent delegates will serve as active agents for the ongoing promotion of a dynamic interaction with their provinces."
 
The outgoing Mpumalanga premier says the significance of these interactions cannot be overstated.
 
"This facilitates a useful link between both provincial and national spheres of government."