Pretoria- Fifty four permanent delegates, representing nine provincial legislatures, will be sworn in as members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) this morning.
The NCOP chairperson and deputy are also expected to be elected.
The 54 permanent delegates will be sworn in a ceremony to be preceded over by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. They will then form part of the 90 NCOP permanent members and special delegates.
South Africa has a bicameral Parliament, meaning it has two Houses, supported by a joint administration.
The National Assembly is the House directly elected by the voters, while the NCOP is elected by the provinces and represents them to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national sphere of government.
The NCOP also plays a unique role in the promotion of the principles of cooperative government and intergovernmental relations.
It ensures that the three spheres of government work together in performing their unique functions in terms of the Constitution and that in doing so, do not encroach in each other’s area of competence.
This ensures that synergy exists between the spheres on matters of concurrent competence.
Each province is represented by 10 permanent and special delegates in the NCOP, including premiers of provinces. That 10 is made up of six permanent delegates and four special delegates.
The six permanent delegates are the full time members of the NCOP and special delegates are the full time members of the Provincial Legislatures and they attend the proceedings of the NCOP as and when it is necessary.
Therefore, during the swearing in of members, the Chief Justice will only swear in the 54 permanent delegates. - SAnews.gov.za
