African National Congress (ANC) MP Thandi Modise on Wednesday won a secret vote against the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) former Speaker of the Western Cape Legislature Thembekile Majola for the role of National Assembly Speaker.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng presided over the vote and announced the winner of the election, to loud cheers and singing from the ANC benches.
Modise was the former National Council of Provinces chairperson.
The secret ballot produced 250 votes in favour of Modise. The DA's Majola received 83 votes. There were 17 spoilt ballots.
Economic Freedom Fighters MPs abstained from the vote.
Modise thanked her fellow MPs for their votes and urged them to represent their constituents well in Parliament.
"I am honoured by the nomination and election as the Speaker. I understand the responsibility of Parliament as the space for debate and Presiding Officers as the enablers of such debates. I must with other Presiding Officers at all times be fair," she said.
She said she had learnt a lot working with previous Speaker, Baleka Mbete.
She added that debates should be conducted in a way that helps constituents of different political parties represented in Parliament.
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