Rise Mzansi leader Zibi elected as SCOPA chairperson

CAPE TOWN - The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Parliament's finance watchdog, has elected Rise Mzansi leader, Songezo Zibi, as chairperson. 
 
Zibi's nomination by the African National Congress (ANC) was seconded by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and comes after weeks of speculation on who would lead the committee that keeps a close eye on the use of public funds.

His election came not too long after BOSA leader, Mmusi Maimane, was also elected as chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations.
 
Zibi said that he did not take his election lightly and hoped to work closely with other members of the committee.

"I'm a collaborator by nature with my colleagues and I look forward to working with all the members from all the political parties that are represented in SCOPA."
 
But not everyone supported his nomination, with Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Veronica Mente saying that Rise Mzansi was part of the GNU and should not chair SCOPA.

"Before you declare, we want to record that, as the EFF, we are objecting to that as much as we are not having a candidate."

National Assembly portfolio committees and NCOP select committees have now all but completed the election of chairpersons.

The elections also saw the DA's first-time MP, Ian Cameron, being elected as police committee chairperson.