Chief justice Raymond Zondo is officiating today's first sitting of the National Assembly where key parliamentary and provincial officials, including the president, the speaker and deputy speaker will be elected.
The sitting traditionally starts in the morning with the ceremonial procession entering the National Assembly chamber led by Zondo, secretary to parliament Xolile George and secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso.
Zondo will preside over the sitting and call members to be sworn in before they begin their duties and functions as public representatives. He will then call for nomination of the speaker of the assembly among the members.
Each nomination, which is done on a prescribed form, must be signed by two members of the assembly and accepted in writing by the nominee. If only one candidate is nominated, Zondo will declare that candidate duly elected as speaker.
However, if more than one nomination is received, Zondo will announce that a secret ballot will take place and suspend proceedings to allow for preparations for the voting process.
At the resumption of proceedings, Zondo will announce the procedure to be followed and members will be called in groups to cast their ballots which are followed by the counting before the winning candidate is announced.
The chief justice will then congratulate the newly elected speaker and call the Serjeant-at-Arms to conduct the speaker to the chair. The speaker will also be given an opportunity to express his/her sense of honour thus conferred and thereafter proceed with the process of the election of the deputy speaker.
Once that is done, Zondo will preside over the election of the president of the country. The same election procedure applied to the election of speaker and deputy speaker will be followed.
Once the president has been elected, Zondo will step down from the chair and the speaker presides during speeches on election of the president until proceedings are adjourned.
At the conclusion of the above business, the assembly will normally adjourn for several days to enable the newly elected president to be sworn in and appoint his/her cabinet.
Rules for first sitting of National Assembly
Chief justice Zondo to officiate at proceedings
Image: GCIS
Chief justice Raymond Zondo is officiating today's first sitting of the National Assembly where key parliamentary and provincial officials, including the president, the speaker and deputy speaker will be elected.
The sitting traditionally starts in the morning with the ceremonial procession entering the National Assembly chamber led by Zondo, secretary to parliament Xolile George and secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso.
Zondo will preside over the sitting and call members to be sworn in before they begin their duties and functions as public representatives. He will then call for nomination of the speaker of the assembly among the members.
Each nomination, which is done on a prescribed form, must be signed by two members of the assembly and accepted in writing by the nominee. If only one candidate is nominated, Zondo will declare that candidate duly elected as speaker.
However, if more than one nomination is received, Zondo will announce that a secret ballot will take place and suspend proceedings to allow for preparations for the voting process.
At the resumption of proceedings, Zondo will announce the procedure to be followed and members will be called in groups to cast their ballots which are followed by the counting before the winning candidate is announced.
The chief justice will then congratulate the newly elected speaker and call the Serjeant-at-Arms to conduct the speaker to the chair. The speaker will also be given an opportunity to express his/her sense of honour thus conferred and thereafter proceed with the process of the election of the deputy speaker.
Once that is done, Zondo will preside over the election of the president of the country. The same election procedure applied to the election of speaker and deputy speaker will be followed.
Once the president has been elected, Zondo will step down from the chair and the speaker presides during speeches on election of the president until proceedings are adjourned.
At the conclusion of the above business, the assembly will normally adjourn for several days to enable the newly elected president to be sworn in and appoint his/her cabinet.
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