Parliament's George to receive list of National Assembly members from Chief Justice Zondo

CAPE TOWN - Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, will receive the list of designated members of the National Assembly from Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in an official ceremony at the Constitutional Court on Thursday.

The list, published by the Electoral Commission (IEC) on Wednesday, reflects the major losses suffered by the African National Congress (ANC) in last week’s elections, causing many of its stalwarts not to crack the nod for a return to the House. 

With this handover, changes will not be permitted to party lists for another year.

 ALSO READ:

• Naledi Pandor, Bheki Cele, Thandi Modise and Thulas Nxesi among ministers not returning to Parliament

• Political parties not required to have agreed on governance before first sitting of Parliament, says CASAC

• EXPLAINER: What will happen if MK boycotts first sitting of Parliament?

The so-called list process is always a contentious one, as party members jostle for the top spots ahead of an election. 

But the ANC's 71-seat loss will leave several ministers and former MPs out in the cold. 

From here on out, parties will not be able to tinker with their lists for another 12 months, although parties have been known to make provincial and regional swaps to parachute preferred candidates into the House.

Executive director for the Council of the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC), Lawson Naidoo, explained the changes that could be made. 

"All that you are allowed to do is supplement your list, i.e. if you don’t have enough people on your list to fill all the seats that you’ve won, then you can add people at the end of the list but you can’t change the order of the list."

Those who don't take up their parliamentary seats will make space for the next person in the running order to take their place.