ANC NEC to select new Parliament Speaker, NCOP chairperson

CAPE TOWN - The African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) will meet again on Monday in the Mother City just two days before the party’s newly elected MPs are sworn in.Part of that meeting will include the selection of a new National Assembly Speaker and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chairperson before the sixth Parliament gets down to business.The ANC’s highest decision-making body, the NEC, has already decided who will lead the seven of the eight provinces under the party’s control. A candidate for the North West is yet to be announced.On Thursday former North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo said the party's provincial task team would wait for the NEC to decide on a premier candidate for the province.The party’s NEC will also deal with the task of choosing who will lead Parliament and the NCOP.The party’s top six will hand over its chosen names for the presiding officers when the party’s NEC meets again on Monday.Former Speaker Baleka Mbete said earlier this year that a return to the position was not guaranteed. Other senior party MPs, including Thoko Didiza, have been touted as possible replacements.Mbete had a rocky term at the helm of the House, characterised by disruptions, violent clashes and persistent criticism that she protected former president Jacob Zuma.An NEC member who spoke to Eyewitness News said the party’s officials would hand over a report with the names of the new presiding officers to the NEC on Monday before discussing the document.The position of party chief whip will also be decided on by the NEC before Wednesday’s sitting.(Edited by Mihlali Ntsabo)
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