Johannesburg - Sylvia Lucas was sworn in as the Northern Cape's acting premier on Tuesday, the SABC reported.
This was after the ANC tried to get her inaugurated as the new premier after Hazel Jenkins collapsed while delivering the state of the province address last year after suffering a brain aneurism.
According to the SABC the Northern Cape legislature was supposed to carry two motions on Tuesday.
The first was to remove Jenkins as the premier and the other to elect Lucas.
However, the African National Congress failed to get a two thirds majority to pass the motion.
Boeboe van Wyk of the legislature told the national broadcaster: “We never expected the opposition to be so inconsiderate as to vote against a decision to relieve somebody who can't actually continue with her duties because of ill health.”
The ANC and opposition parties reportedly met for most of the day to try resolve the impasse.
Pakes Dikgetsi of the Congress of the People said: “We are committed to finding resolution but it must be done properly... The rules are very clear, convene a proper rules committee meeting.”
Zamani Saul of the ANC said the parties agreed on a way forward and that a rules committee would sit. - Sapa