Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has announced that the first sitting of the National Assembly (NA), where the country’s President and National Speaker will be elected, will be on Friday at 10h00, while that of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will be on Saturday.

Four hundred members of Parliament will be sworn in at the Cape Town International Convention Center.

Following the declaration of the 2024 national and provincial election results by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the IEC handed over the lists of designated members of Parliament and members of provincial legislatures to Zondo.

According to the Constitution such sittings are required to take place not more than 14 days after the declaration of election results.

The Chief Justice in turn handed over the list to the Secretary to Parliament Xolile George in preparation for the first sitting of the NA.

In a statement on behalf of Zondo, his office noted that during the first sitting of Parliament, Zondo will administer the prescribed oath or affirmation to members or the NA.

“After the members or the National Assembly have been sworn in or after the prescribed affirmation has been administered, the Chief Justice will then preside over the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly,” the office explained.

It added that once the Speaker of the NA has been elected, he or she would then preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker.

“…after the Deputy Speaker has been elected, the Chief Justice will then take over again and preside over the election of the President,” it explained.

Zondo will swear in, and administer the prescribed affirmation to members of the NCOP before he presides over the election of the Chairperson of the NCOP.

“…thereafter, the Chairperson of the NCOP will preside over the election of the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP.”

The Chief Justice has designated Judges-President in the provinces to determine the first sittings of the provincial legislatures in their respective provinces.

It highlighted that the Judges-President will administer the prescribed oath or affirmation to members or the provincial legislatures, preside over the election of the Speaker of the legislature and the election of the Premier.