Former Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been elected as the new Speaker of the National Assembly, following a vote by secret ballot by Members of Parliament on Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Addressing the National Assembly sitting for the first time as Speaker on Thursday afternoon, Mapisa-Nqakula said being initially nominated left her \u201cemotional and humbled\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI return of course to be part of a collective leadership of this national legislature after what can be considered a long stay within the executive branch of government. I therefore fully appreciate the extent of the transition that I must personally make in order to fulfil my obligations and those of this House, to ensure the accountability and oversight of the executive branch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
She said this after Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe presided over the nomination and the election of the new Speaker of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
After a voting process that lasted for over three hours, Mapisa-Nqakula was elected after she received 199 votes out of a total of 298 votes cast during a secret ballot. Dr Annelie Lotriet MP, who was a nominee from the main opposition DA, received 82 votes, while 17 ballots were spoilt.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The election comes after Thandi Modise resigned as Speaker following President Cyril Ramaphosa announced changes to his Cabinet earlier this month. Modise was appointed as the new Defence Minister.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ahead of the vote, ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina rose to nominate Mapisa-Nqakula, and she was seconded by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The DA\u2019s Chief Whip Natasha Mazzone in turn nominated Dr Annelie Lotriet, MP and was seconded by DA leader John Steenhuisen.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Mapisa-Nqakula\u2019s record of service<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Mapisa-Nqakula has served as Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence from 1994.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
She served as a Deputy Minister of Home Affairs from May 2002 to April 2004, and then as Minister of Home Affairs from April 2004 to May 2009.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In May 2009, she was appointed as a Minister of Correctional Services, a position that she held until June 2012 when she was appointed as Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Source: South African Government News Agency<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been elected as the new Speaker of the National Assembly, following a vote by secret ballot by Members of Parliament on Thursday.Addressing the National Assembly sitting for the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n