The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has elected African National Congress Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina as Interim Chairperson of PAP’s Southern Region Caucus.

The fourth Ordinary Session of the PAP’s Fifth Parliament was halted in June last year when the Eastern and Western Caucuses ignored the African Union’s (AU's) “principle of geographical rotation” when electing the leadership of its organs like the President.

A statement from Parliament on Wednesday, said Majodina will lead the Southern Caucus until the new Bureau and other organs of the PAP are elected during the Ordinary Session currently underway from June 28 to July 2.

“The Chief Whip will play a critical role in coordinating the voice and aspirations of the region during this transition phase as the PAP elects the new Bureau,” said National Council of Provinces Chairperson Amos Masondo, who is also leader of the Parliament of South Africa’s delegation to the PAP.

Democratic Alliance MP Thembekile Majola is nominated to represent the Southern Region Caucus in the Ad Hoc Committee for the election of the President of the Pan-African Parliament.

The Ad Hoc Committee is made up of five members of elected representatives from each region, whose duty it is to organize the election of the President. Once the President is elected, the Committee expires.

The elected President then takes over and supervises the election of the four Vice Presidents.
 
“Meanwhile, the Southern Region Caucus has reiterated its stance of supporting the candidature of Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira, from Zimbabwe, as their preferred next President of the PAP. The Northern and Southern Regions are the only regions eligible to nominate candidates for the position of President with the other PAP regions eligible to field candidates for the four Vice President positions,” Parliament said.