Parliament has settled on October 19 as the date for the appointment of the new public protector to replace impeached Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
This emerged when the National Assembly programme committee met to consider the business and upcoming programmes of the national legislature.
The date was changed twice due to unavailability of the Cape Town City Hall and a clash with the work of some portfolio committees.
The date initially set for Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka to be appointed was September 11, the same day Mkhwebane was to be impeached.
It was moved to September 21 but this date was clashing with some portfolio committees that would be travelling.
Parliament agreed that the sitting should be physical and voting methods will be via roll call voting where each MP’s name would be called to cast his or her vote.
National Assembly Secretary Masibulele Xaso said the chief whips forum initially agreed on October 18 as the date for the appointment of the new public protector at the Cape Town International Conventional Centre based on the unavailability of the city hall.
He, however, said they learnt late on Wednesday that the city hall would be available on October 19 following the cancellation of a booking that opened the way for the physical sitting.
ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said while they struggled to obtain a venue, they had initially agreed on October 18 taking into account that it was the day the cabinet held its meetings, a move that would have meant that the sitting would start at 3pm than an hour earlier.
“Late evening we heard that there was a cancellation at the city hall for October 18. We want to propose that we go to October 19 instead of October 18.
“We want to start an hour earlier because we have to allow the cabinet to do its work,” Majodina said.
EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi reiterated her request that the programming committee be furnished with a comprehensive report regarding the venues to be used by Parliament following a fire that razed some buildings in the precinct.
“As Parliament we depend on the availability of the city hall,” Mkhaliphi said.
Majodina agreed that they should receive a report on the venues.
“We need a plan for three up to six months so that we have a venue and not change our schedule because of non availability of the venue,” she said.
Xaso said they have noted the request for a report on the venues for future plenary sittings.
Cape Times