Dates Confirmed for First Sittings of SA's Parliament; Chief Justice Zondo Sets Agenda

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo disclosed, "The Chief Justice confirmed 14 and 15 June as the dates for the first sittings of the Houses of Parliament in a letter to the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George."

Parliament has officially scheduled the inaugural sittings of both the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), as confirmed by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Monday.

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo disclosed, "The Chief Justice confirmed 14 and 15 June as the dates for the first sittings of the Houses of Parliament in a letter to the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George."

Per Section 51(1) of the Constitution, the initial sitting of the National Assembly must occur at a time and date determined by the Chief Justice, within 14 days subsequent to the declaration of election results.

During the NA's maiden session, the Chief Justice will administer the oath or affirmation of faithfulness to the Republic and obedience to the Constitution to designated members.

Mothapo elaborated, "Following the swearing-in, the Chief Justice will oversee the election of the NA Speaker, who, once elected, will preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker."

Once the Deputy Speaker is elected, the Chief Justice will resume control to oversee the election of the President.

On 15 June, the NCOP will convene, where the Chief Justice will administer the prescribed oath and affirmation to its members. Subsequently, the Chief Justice will preside over the election of the NCOP Chairperson, who will then oversee the election of the NCOP Deputy Chairperson.

The rules governing these inaugural sessions were published by the Office of the Chief Justice on 30 May 2024.

These pivotal gatherings will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.