Secretary to Parliament Xolile George said Parliament is fully ready to hold its first sitting of the National Assembly (NA), where the country’s President and National Speaker will be elected on Friday, for which a budget of about R58-million has been allocated.

The first sitting of the NA and the National Council of Provinces, which will be held on Saturday, will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

George was briefing the media on Thursday on preparations for the first sittings of the two Houses of Parliament, where he highlighted that the budget refleced the expanded needs and rising costs associated with ensuring that all MPs were adequately supported in their roles.

He noted that five years ago, the establishment of the sixth Parliament incurred costs amounting to about R43-million.

“While the actual budget costs for the commencement of the seventh Parliament will be released at a later date, we can confirm that approximately R58-million has been set aside for this purpose,” George said.

He explained that the allocation covered a wide range of necessities, including the preparation of parliamentary precincts, the provision of tools of trade for MPs, the facilitation of initial sessions and inductions, as well as the broadcasting infrastructure for all the dates of the sittings, including the Opening of Parliament Address by the new President.

Parliament expressed confidence that the proceedings would unfold smoothly and effectively, marking the successful commencement of the seventh democratic Parliament.

“Our comprehensive preparations ensure that every aspect of these inaugural sessions, from logistical arrangements to security measures, have been meticulously planned and implemented,” said George.

The first sitting of the NA will see the swearing-in of all designated Members in attendance by the Chief Justice, followed by the election of the Speaker who will take over the proceedings and preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker.

Following that, the President of South Africa is elected.

The inauguration of the President-elect is scheduled for June 19.