Wait for NCOP deputy chairperson and other presiding officers continues
The election of Chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni Tsipane's deputy was again deferred, as parties continued deliberations about who would best serve from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo congratulating Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane after being elected as the Chairperson of the NCOP.
JOHANNESBURG - Ongoing party discussions have yet again delayed the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)'s election of its deputy chairperson and other presiding officers.
The election of Chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni Tsipane's deputy was again deferred, as parties continued deliberations about who would best serve from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The NCOP was supposed to have elected its deputy chairperson at the first sitting of Parliament last month, but GNU negotiations mean that this will have to wait a little bit longer.
On Tuesday, the NCOP postponed the election of key presiding officers for the third time since MPs were sworn in last month.
The postponement is to allow the NCOP to finalise who will be second-in-command and which party they will come from.
Like in the National Assembly, the expectation is for the deputy to come from the opposition, with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)'s member expected to be elected.
Parliament issued a notice earlier saying the postponement to Thursday was "to allow political parties to finalise their inter-party engagements."
When the NCOP meets on Thursday, it will also elect a programming whip and a House chairperson responsible for committees and oversight.