In one of its shortest plenary sessions ever, Parliament defers half of the business on its agenda

CAPE TOWN - In one of Parliament’s shortest plenary sittings ever of only 15 minutes, the seventh administration started off on a swift note on Tuesday afternoon by deferring half of the business it had put on its agenda.

This included key items such as the election of House chairpersons and the endorsement of MPs to serve on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which deals with disciplinary matters and interviews candidates for judges. 

African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli said that this was to allow for more consultation between parties.

On Tuesday, the House was expected to endorse the names of three House chairpersons - two from the ANC, and one from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). 

These include Cedric Frolick, who’s held the powerful post since 2010, of overseeing all portfolio committees. 

Former international relations committee chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo, and the IFP's deputy chief whip, Zandile Majozi, have been nominated for the other two chairs. 

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen told EWN after the sitting that his party wanted one of the three posts. 

"There was some negotiation but it was not able to be concluded before the sitting started. So that will go back. There will be a further discussion." 

Meanwhile, the MK Party’s chief whip, Sihle Ngubane, expressed his unhappiness about the withdrawal of a motion that would have paved the way for impeached former judge, John Hlophe, to become a commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission. 

"It's given a space to discuss matters but we don’t know why the matter is being deferred and as MK Party, we haven’t been informed of the deferment of that issue, what’s the reason and what’s happening."

The party said afterward it would not change its position on Hlophe's nomination among the six candidates nominated by political parties.