South Africa’s Parliament is gearing up for the swearing-in ceremony of 58 MPs affiliated with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party on Tuesday, June 25. These members, linked to former President Jacob Zuma, had previously boycotted the initial oath-taking and subsequent elections for speaker and president held on June 14.
The oath ceremony, scheduled to take place at Parliament’s Goodhope Chamber in Cape Town at noon, will be overseen by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo or a designated judge. It marks the formal induction of these MPs following the recent national and provincial elections.
Before assuming their legislative responsibilities, all MPs are mandated by South Africa’s constitution to pledge allegiance to the republic and uphold constitutional principles.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the Opening of Parliament Address (OPA) soon, a significant event that occurs once every five years after elections. Unlike the annual State of the Nation Address, the OPA outlines the government’s agenda and marks the official start of the new parliamentary term.
To prepare for their roles, newly elected legislators will undergo induction sessions from July 2 to 5. The composition of the 400-member National Assembly currently includes the African National Congress (ANC) with 159 seats, followed by the Democratic Alliance (87 seats), uMkhonto weSizwe (58 seats), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (39 seats). Additionally, smaller parties collectively hold 57 parliamentary seats.
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