ANC's Mmoiemang Elected Chief Whip of NCOP

Almost all of the 54 permanent delegates to the NCOP were present to be sworn in by the Chief Justice. 

Chief Justice of South Africa Raymond Zondo (C) stands as he arrives at the first sitting of Parliament in Cape Town on 14 June 2024. Picture: WIKUS DE WET / AFP

CAPE TOWN - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has elected the only African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament (MP) to return to the NCOP from the previous parliament, Kenny Mmoiemang as the Chief Whip of the house. 

He was elected unopposed on Saturday after outgoing Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane took charge of the house, also elected unopposed. 

But the house has not elected a deputy chairperson, leaving the door open for a possible compromise nomination after the Democratic Alliance's (DA) Annelie Lotriet was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly on Friday as part of a governance deal between the ANC, DA and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

Almost all of the 54 permanent delegates to the NCOP were present to be sworn in by the Chief Justice. 

Even uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party members stepped up to take the oath, despite the party boycotting the National Assembly's first sitting.

Mmoiemang says every voice will be heard and persuasion should be the hallmark of their working style.

"Turning the system of local government around should be among the critical tests against which the success of this house should be measured in this seventh democratic parliament," said Mmoiemang.

Like in 2019, the house chose not to elect a deputy chairperson at this occasion and will likely do so when the house sits again to outline its programme of business. 

Former deputy chairperson, Sylvia Lucas has now moved to the National Assembly.

The NCOP will also have to elect two house chairpersons, making it possible for these posts to still be offered to government of unity partners. 

The ANC has 24 permanent seats across the provinces, compared to the DA's 12, the Economic Freedom Fighters' 8, and the MK's 5. 

The Freedom Front Plus has two seats, while the IFP, United Democratic Movement (UDM), and Patriotic Alliance (PA) each have one.