The first sitting of the National Assembly is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, as per a statement released by the Office of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

This follows the national elections held on May 29, in what has been described as the country’s most contested elections since the establishment of democracy. According to Section 51(1) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice has the authority to call the first sitting of the National Assembly after national elections.

During this initial session, Chief Justice Zondo will administer the prescribed oath or affirmation to the members of the National Assembly. This oath or affirmation, required by Section 48 of the Constitution, signifies a commitment to the Republic and adherence to the Constitution, which members must take before performing their duties.

The first order of business will be the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly by its members. Following the election of the Speaker, the new Speaker will preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker. Once the Deputy Speaker is elected, the Chief Justice will then oversee the election of the President.

In addition, the first sitting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is expected to take place on Saturday. The Chief Justice will swear in and administer the prescribed affirmation to members of the NCOP, followed by the election of the Chairperson of the NCOP. The newly elected Chairperson will then oversee the election of the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP.

Chief Justice Zondo has also designated Judges-President in the provinces to determine the first sittings of the Provincial Legislatures. These sittings must occur within 14 days of the election results being declared. The Judges-President will administer the prescribed oath or affirmation to the members of the Provincial Legislatures and oversee the election of the Speaker and the Premier in each province.

Both the National Assembly and NCOP sittings will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.