Fifty-eight members of parliament elected on the platform of former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, will be sworn in on Tuesday, June 25. They had boycotted the oath-taking and subsequent election of speaker and president on June 14.
South Africa’s Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo is expected to preside over the ceremony as the parliament’s Speaker, Thoko Didiza administers the oath of office. Lawmakers are required to fulfil this process before they begin sitting.
In a statement on Sunday, the parliament also disclosed that President Ramaphosa will make an Opening of Parliament Address (OPA) on a date that will be made known soon. The OPA marks the official opening of the 7th Parliament.
In the 400-member National Assembly, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has 159 lawmakers, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 87, the MK Party with 58 and the Economic Freedom Fighters party has 39.