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Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa

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Presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa

Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
Incumbent
Thoko Didiza
since 14 June 2024
National Assembly of South Africa
StyleHonorable Speaker
TypePresiding officer of one chamber in a bicameral legislature
ResidenceCape Town
AppointerElected by members of the National Assembly
Formation1854
First holderChristoffel Brand
DeputyDeputy Speaker of the National Assembly
Annelie Lotriet
SalaryR3,164‚654.00 a year
Websitehttps://www.parliament.gov.za/na-presiding-officers
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The speaker of the National Assembly presides over the National Assembly of South Africa, the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa.

The office of speaker of the National Assembly was preceded by the offices of speaker of the House of Assembly (1910–1984) under the 1909 and 1961 constitutions and speaker of Parliament under the Tricameral Parliament (1984–1994).

Background

The speaker is chosen from among the members of the Assembly at its first sitting following a general election and whenever the office is vacant. The speaker acts as a "referee", taking charge of debates to make sure that the MPs can participate freely while keeping to the rules. The speaker also has managerial duties to ensure that Parliament runs smoothly. Each political party in the Assembly elects a chief whip to run its affairs. The presiding officers, the chief whips, and the leader of government business (the person appointed by the Cabinet to liaise with Parliament) together decide on the programme of work.

Selection

The speaker of the National Assembly is elected to and removed from office in terms of S52 of the Constitution. In terms of this section the:

  • House must elect the speaker from its members during the first House sitting
  • The house may remove the speaker by resolution
  • The house must fill the position when it becomes vacant during term
  • Chief Justice must preside over the election of the speaker

Mandate

The speaker's mandate is twofold. It is constitutional and institutional. This mandate is furthermore dual at the National Assembly and Parliamentary level. In both situations, it involves interacting with the following sectors of the global community:

  • International
  • Continental
  • Regional
  • National

List of speakers (1854–present)

Cape House of Assembly (1854–1910)

No. Name
(Birth–Death) 		Portrait Term of office
1 Sir Christoffel Brand
(1797–1875) 		1854–1873
2 Sir David Tennant
(1829–1905) 		1874–1895
3 Sir Henry Juta
(1875–1930) 		1896–1898
4 Sir Bisset Berry
(1839–1922) 		1899–1907
5 James Tennant Molteno
(1865–1936) 		1907–1910

House of Assembly (1910–1994)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Sir James Tennant Molteno
(1865–1936) 		1 November 1910 18 November 1915 5 years, 17 days South African Party
2 Joel Krige
(1866–1933) 		19 November 1915 24 July 1924 8 years, 248 days South African Party
3 Ernest George Jansen
(1881–1959) 		25 July 1924 19 June 1929 4 years, 329 days National Party
4 Jan Hendrick Hofmeyr de Waal
(1871–1937) 		19 July 1929 25 May 1933 3 years, 310 days National Party
(3) Ernest George Jansen
(1881–1959) 		26 May 1933 21 January 1944 10 years, 240 days National Party
(until 1934)
United Party
(from 1934)
5 Clifford Meyer van Coller
(1876–1977) 		22 January 1944 5 August 1948 4 years, 196 days United Party
6 Jozua François Naudé
(1889–1969) 		6 August 1948 7 November 1950 2 years, 93 days National Party
7 Johannes Conradie
(1897–1966) 		19 January 1951 31 December 1960 9 years, 347 days National Party
8 Henning Johannes Klopper
(1895–1985) 		20 January 1961 1 August 1974 13 years, 193 days National Party
9 Alwyn Schlebusch
(1917–2008) 		2 August 1974 25 January 1976 1 year, 176 days National Party
10 Jannie Loots [af]
(1914–1998) 		26 January 1976 30 July 1981 5 years, 186 days National Party
11 J. P. du Toit 31 July 1981 13 February 1983 1 year, 197 days National Party
12 Johan Greeff
(1921–2004) 		14 February 1983 31 December 1986 3 years, 320 days National Party
13 Louis le Grange
(1928–1991) 		1 January 1987 26 October 1991 4 years, 298 days National Party
14 Gene Louw
(1931–2015) 		14 November 1991 9 May 1994 2 years, 176 days National Party

National Assembly (1994–present)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Frene Ginwala
(1932–2023) 		9 May 1994 12 July 2004 10 years, 64 days African National Congress
2 Baleka Mbete
(born 1949) 		12 July 2004 25 September 2008 4 years, 75 days African National Congress
3 Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde
(born 1955) 		25 September 2008 6 May 2009 223 days African National Congress
4 Max Sisulu
(born 1945) 		6 May 2009 21 May 2014 5 years, 15 days African National Congress
(2) Baleka Mbete
(born 1949) 		21 May 2014 22 May 2019 5 years, 1 day African National Congress
5 Thandi Modise
(born 1959) 		22 May 2019 5 August 2021 2 years, 75 days African National Congress
6 Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
(born 1956) 		19 August 2021 3 April 2024 2 years, 228 days African National Congress
7 Thoko Didiza
(born 1965) 		14 June 2024 Incumbent 188 days African National Congress

See also

References

  1. "The Speakers Corner". Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. From 1911, Sir James Tennant Molteno

External links

Speakers of the lower house of Parliament of South Africa
House of Assembly (1910–1994)
National Assembly (1994–present)
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