Chaos in Parliament as debate on new lottery board chair explodes

EFF MPs raise points of order at the start of a parliamentary debate on the appointment of a new chair of the National Lotteries Commission board. Photo: a screen grab from Parliament’s YouTube channel (fair use)

A parliamentary debate on the appointment of a new National Lotteries Commission (NLC) board chairperson was postponed on Tuesday night after the MK Party and the EFF objected to the DA being called to speak first.

Before the DA’s Toby Chance could begin his speech, MK MP Visvin Reddy raised a point of order, demanding as the Official Opposition to speak first.

The session seemed set to descend into chaos, with the EFF supporting the MK’s position, and the MK continuing to raise points of order.

Zandile Majozi, chairing the debate, said she would not change the order of speakers and told complaining MPs to raise their complaints with the House’s Rules Committee.

But MPs kept raising points of order. At one stage, Majozi switched off an MK MP’s microphone, infuriating MK and EFF members.

Majozi finally agreed to a five-minute break, which stretched to almost an hour, for party whips to discuss the impasse. But they were unable to agree and asked for the debate to be suspended until the issue was resolved. A date has not yet been set for a fresh debate.

MPs were meant to debate a report by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition which includes a shortlist of three candidates for the NLC chair, following the resignation of Barney Pityana last year.

Pityana had two years of his five-year term remaining, and agreed to continue until the new chair is appointed.

The committee, which oversees the lottery, has recommended King Tembinkosi Bonakele, Mpho Mosing and Lufono Tokyo Nevondwe for the key post. They emerged from interviews as the top three of six candidates after the portfolio committee had whittled down a list of 22.

The committee’s report must first be tabled in Parliament and approved by MPs. The names will then be submitted to Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to decide who to appoint. Tau does not have to appoint any of the three people whose names are submitted.

The 2022 board chair interview process to replace the scandal-ridden Alfred Nevhutanda was an acrimonious, drawn-out, stop-start process marked by long delays. It regularly degenerated into a war of words between the ANC and the DA. It was beset with litigation and acrimony as relations between then minister Ebrahim Patel and the NLC board soured. Ultimately, Pityana was chosen to replace Nevhutanda.

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