New MPs ready to be sworn in

IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula hands over the lists of names of party representatives for Parliament and provincial legislatures to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng at a ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg on Friday, 16 May 2014. Tlakula handed over a list of 830 representatives for Parliament and provincial legislatures. She said the handing over of the lists indicated that the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) had come to the end of the 2014 general elections process. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula hands over the lists of names of party representatives for Parliament and provincial legislatures to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng at a ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg on Friday, 16 May 2014. Tlakula handed over a list of 830 representatives for Parliament and provincial legislatures. She said the handing over of the lists indicated that the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) had come to the end of the 2014 general elections process. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Published May 21, 2014

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Cape Town -

South Africa's fifth democratic Parliament holds its first sitting on Wednesday morning to swear in new MPs and formally elect President Jacob Zuma as head of state.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng will preside over the swearing-in of the 400 new members of the National Assembly - a process traditionally undertaken in batches of 10 for the sake of speed.

Following this, the chamber will elect a new Speaker. The African National Congress announced on Tuesday that it will nominate Baleka Mbete, the party's national chairwoman, to return to the post of Speaker she held from 2004 to 2008.

Once elected, the Speaker will preside over the election of the deputy speaker. The ANC plans to nominate Lechesa Tsenoli for the post.

MPs will then elect the country's new president, a post certain to go to Zuma for a second term.

He will take the oath of office at the Union Buildings on Saturday, bringing foreign dignitaries back to the capital for the inauguration five months after former president Nelson Mandela lay in state here.

Zuma will announce his new Cabinet on Sunday. - Sapa

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