THE ANC’s parliamentary caucus has nominated Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to be the next Speaker of Parliament during a meeting on Tuesday morning.
Mapisa-Nqakula was fired as defence minister last week after the government was tardy in responding to violent riots that claimed more than 300 lives and razed thousands of businesses.
This after President Cyril Ramaphosa made changes to his cabinet last week, announcing former Speaker of Parliament Thandi Modise as the new Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
Modise served as Speaker of the National Assembly since 2019.
Parliament is currently busy with an investigation into the unrest.
Until last week, Mapisa Nqakula had served as a Minister of Defence and Military Veterans from June 2012 to August 2021.
Previously, she was Minister of Home Affairs from 2004 to 2009 and Minister of Correctional Services from 2009 to 2012 as well as serving as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs from 6 May 2002 to 28 April 2004.
Mapisa – Nqakula has also served as Secretary–General of the ANC Women’s League as well as its President and member of the ANC National Executive Committee since the early 90s.
“Caucus welcomes her nomination and candidature as Speaker – Elect especially in the Year of Charlotte Maxeke as well as the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings,” said acting caucus spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota.
“The ANC Parliamentary Caucus is gearing itself for the beginning of the Third Term which starts on the 16th August 2021 following the Constituency Period that saw MPs interacting with communities on their focus areas looks forward to a vibrant and robust period.”
No date has yet been set for the parliamentary sitting to decide on speaker, following Modise’s resignation to take up her appointment to the cabinet.
- Inside Politics
