Lechesa Tsenoli is acting National Assembly Speaker until new head is elected

Cape Town – Deputy National Assembly Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli stepped in as the Acting Speaker after the appointment of Thandi Modise to Cabinet.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Modise as the new minister of defence.

Members of the Cabinet are expected to be sworn-in on Friday following their appointment by the president.

Parliament said in a statement the committees will also appoint acting chairpersons after some the heads of committees were moved to Cabinet.

Former chairperson of the health committee Sibongiseni Dhlomo has been appointed deputy minister of health, ex-chairperson of the higher education committee Philly Mapulane is the new deputy minister of communications while Mondli Gungubele who chaired the social development committee is the new Minister in the Presidency.

ANC MP Chana Pilane-Majake is the deputy minister of public service and administration.

She previously served in the Cabinet before.

Parliament said committees will start processing the appointment of chairpersons of committees.

“In the committees where vacancies have arisen, members of those committees will elect acting chairpersons, from amongst themselves, until new chairpersons are elected,” said spokesperson for Parliament Moloto Mothapo.

“A date for election of the new NA Speaker will be determined through consultations within Parliament and with the Office of the Chief Justice of the Republic. Section 52 (2) of the Constitution states that ‘the Chief Justice must preside over the election of a Speaker, or designate another judge to do so’.

“Should there be more than one nominee for the position of the Speaker, there will be a vote by secret ballot,” he said.