First sitting of NCOP for Seventh Administration

The first sitting of the National Council of (NCOP) for the seventh administration of South Africa will take place on Saturday.

The NCOP represents the provinces to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national sphere of government, by ensuring participation in the national legislative process and by providing a national forum for consideration of issues affecting provinces.

SUPPLIED: Parliament

This comes a day after the National Assembly held their first sitting.

In a statement, Parliament explained that the NCOP consists of 90 provincial delegates. This means that each province is equally represented by 10 delegates in the NCOP, collectively referred to as provincial delegations. The ten delegates constitute a single delegation irrespective of the political parties each delegate represents.

‘’During their first sittings after elections, each provincial legislature appoints permanent delegates to the NCOP in accordance with the nominations of political parties represented in that provincial legislature. Parties represented in the provincial legislature are entitled to delegates in the province’s delegation in proportion to their representation in the provincial legislature.’’

‘’A provincial delegation consists of six permanent delegates and four special delegates. The four special delegates consist of the Premier of the province and three other special delegates assigned from members of the provincial legislature,’’ said Parliament in a statement.

During Saturday’s sitting, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the sitting and the swearing in of all the designated delegates present at the sitting.

Following the swearing in, delegates will nominate candidates for the position of Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Chief Whip of the Council.

 

Done By: Mitchum George