The National Assembly shelved various motions to elect members to various bodies.
These include motions for the election of members to sit on the Justice Committee, the SADC Parliamentary Forum and the election of three parliamentary speakers.
This was the first parliamentary meeting since MPs were sworn in and the agenda for the day was the filling of posts both in and outside parliament. However, that did not happen as three motions were shelved for political consultations.
“Mr Speaker, the reason for this withdrawal is to further discuss matters that need to be resolved in relation to the three motions mentioned above,” ANC floor leader Mdumiseni Ntuli said.
But the MK Party was not impressed.
“And we are not given the option to know on what basis they are postponing the issue,” said MK parliamentary leader Sihle Ngubane.
“The House Chief Whip, in reading out the motion, indicated a request in his own name to withdraw the motion to allow for discussions between the political parties,” said Speaker of Parliament Thoko Didiza.
An internal parliamentary document had listed three candidates for speaker – Cedric Frolick, Supra Mahumapelo and Zandile Madjozi.
The nominees for the judicial committee include mostly new members, with the exception of DA legal adviser Glynis Breytenbach and EFF leader Julius Malema. Other notable names include MK party parliamentary leader Dr John Hlophe.
Those appointed by the National Assembly to the Pan-African Parliament include the ANC's floor leader Mdumiseni Ntuli, the EFF's Vuyani Pambo, Member of Parliament Duduzile Zuma Sambudla and the DA's Melgan Chetty.
Members of the magistrates' committee include the ANC's Faith Muthambi, the DA's AC Ross, MK's Sibonelo Nombalo and the EFF's Omphile Maotwe.