President Jacob Zuma has accepted the request of the National Assembly that the process of filling the vacancy in the Independent Electoral Commission that arose after the resignation of Ms Raenette Taljaard as a Commissioner in February this year, be re-initiated.

Acting Speaker, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, has informed the President that, having considered the report of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, the National Assembly has decided not to recommend a candidate for appointment by the President because the list provided by the selection panel chaired by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng did not provide sufficient choice with regards to gender and race as provided by the Constitution. The list of candidates submitted to the National Assembly by the selection panel consists of eight names of which six were African males , one African  female and one white female.

After considering the report of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the request by the Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, President Zuma decided to request Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to re-initiate the process of filling the vacancy.

Issued by The Presidency