Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who President Cyril Ramaphosa fired as defence minister last week, is the ANC’s candidate for speaker of the National Assembly.

• Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is the ANC’s candidate for National Assembly speaker.
• Thandi Modise has been appointed as defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula’s former position.
• The ANC caucus met on Tuesday when Gwede Mantashe briefed members.

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who President Cyril Ramaphosa fired as defence and military veterans minister last week, is the ANC’s candidate to become the new speaker of the National Assembly.
Ramaphosa appointed National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise as defence minister last week.
The ANC caucus met on Tuesday morning and was briefed by ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe. Mapisa-Nqakula was subsequently nominated.
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The ANC caucus welcomed Mapisa-Nqakula’s nomination, said its acting chairperson Nomfanelo Kota.
“As a former chief whip of the majority party in Parliament in 2001 as well as deputy chairperson of the ANC political committee as well as the chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, former minister Mapisa-Nqakula brings a formidable wealth of experience to the new position, with a solid track record as a legislator and policymaker spanning over a number of years,” she said.
Parliament is currently in recess but will reconvene next week. Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli is the acting speaker.
A date for the election of the new speaker will be determined with the Office of the Chief Justice, as the chief justice or a judge designated by him must preside over the proceedings.
A simple majority is needed for the election of a speaker, so with the ANC’s majority Mapisa-Nqakula is a shoo-in for the position.
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