Thank you. For the nomination of the fourth democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa on 6 May 2009 - NdinguNobandla Nomzamo Winnie Mandela [I am Nobandla Nomzamo Winnie Mandela]. [Applause.]
Chief Justice Pius Langa, Mr Speaker, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Presiding Officer, hon members, distinguished guests and fellow South Africans, history is littered with barbarisms and the worst that humanity has to offer. Similarly, history is littered with the noble determination of various peoples across the world so that the most noble of humanity's attributes may prevail.
Today I am proud, once again, to nominate for the highest office in the land a fellow South African who, in the historical and contemporary conflicts between the worst and the best of what humanity has to offer, has distinguished himself as a capable leader of our people's determination to prevail over whatever obstacles there may be.
Many names and descriptions have been used to characterise him, and the bookshelves have not witnessed the last of perspectives about him. But, as Shakespeare would write in Romeo and Juliet, "What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." [Applause.] Our people have democratically concurred.
I nominate for the vacancy of President of the Republic of South Africa a fellow South African -
Osomanxebanxeba zinsizwa, Osomanxebanxeba zinsizwa zangakubo, Osomanxebanxeba akhula nazo zinsizwa.
Mr Speaker, if I were asked to further motivate for his candidature as President of our Republic, I would simply say that he is a capable leader who epitomises our continued and resilient struggle against the worst that humanity has to offer and the hope that we, as a nation, shall triumph against all odds because of the best that, collectively, we can offer - and only the ANC can offer that. [Applause.]
The Chief Justice, Mr Speaker, the Presiding Officer, hon members, distinguished guests and fellow South Africans, I, Nobandla Zanyiwe Nomzamo Winnie Mandela, on behalf of the ANC, nominate, for the President of the Republic of South Africa, the president of the ANC, the man of the people -
uMsholozi! uNxamalala! Lugaju ka Matomela! Abaphuma bephethe inyama na masi!
He is the hon member Mr Jacob Mhlanganyelwa Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. Thank you. [Applause.]
The hon Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has been nominated. Is the nomination seconded?
Thank you, Justice Pius. I, Letsau Nelson Diale, on behalf of my party, the ANC, support the nomination for the President of the Republic of South Africa, Comrade Gedleyihlekisa Jacob Zuma. I thank you. [Applause.]
Thank you. Please present the nomination form to the Returning Officer. Are there any further nominations?
Thank you very much, Chief Justice. From its inception, the Congress of the People raised issues of what we would want to see in a president: rule of law and equality before the law, defence of our democracy, defence of the Constitution, commitment to serving the people, dealing effectively with issues of corruption, and many other issues.
We have, as a consequence of that, decided, as the Congress of the People, to field a candidate for the position. I, Mbhazima Samuel Shilowa, have the pleasure to nominate for the position of President of the Republic, Hamilton Mvumelwano Dandala. [Applause.]
Order! The hon Hamilton Mvumelwano Dandala has been nominated. Is the nomination seconded?
Chief Justice and members, I second the proposal of the Congress of the People for the presidential position of Dr Hamilton Mvume Dandala. Thank you. [Applause.]
Please present the nomination form to the Returning Officer. Are there any further nominations? We proceed. The following candidates have been properly nominated: the hon Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and the hon Hamilton Mvume Dandala. Since more than one candidate has been nominated, a secret ballot will take place in terms of item 6 of Part A of Schedule 3 of the Constitution. I now suspend proceedings to allow the Returning Officer to prepare the ballot papers. We shall resume proceedings when the bells are rung. That will be in about 10 minutes.
Business suspended at 14:18 and resumed at 14:30.
We shall now resume the proceedings. Assistant returning officers are now going to make sure that ballot boxes are empty and close them. Are they closed? This will be the procedure to be followed. Members are going to be called in alphabetical order according to their surnames. When their names are called out, members should collect a ballot paper from the voting table. [Interjections.] After collecting a ballot paper, each member should proceed to one of the ballot booths and make a clear cross in the box alongside the name of the nominated member of his or her own choice.
After making the mark on the ballot paper, and whilst still in the booth, members should fold their paper in a way that the official mark can be seen by the returning officer at the ballot box. After the returning officer has noted the mark on the ballot paper, members should deposit it in the ballot box and resume their seats. I hope that the procedure is clear. [Interjections.] Good. The returning officer will now call upon members to vote.
Mr Chief Justice, I am rising to announce that the DA will be abstaining from the ballot. [Applause.]
The returning officer will now call upon members to vote.
Hon Chief Justice, I am sorry to disrupt the proceedings. I just need some clarity on specific points in terms of the Rules. I have taken note of the fact that the DA indicated that they were going to abstain and I have noticed during proceedings that they do not collect their ballot papers and do not vote either. My concern is that I think it is not in order with the Rules.
If we look at the Rules issued for today - Rule 5(3)(b) clearly indicates that when the name of a member is called, he or she must, if present at the meeting, be issued with a ballot paper and record his or her vote in accordance with Rule 5(5). My concern is that in the end we are going to have fewer ballot papers in the box than members in the House. I just need some clarity on the matter. Is it in order that members are present, and are not making use of the ballot papers, in terms of the Rules? In terms of what the rule says, if they are present, they must be issued with a ballot? I thank you.
Mr Chief Justice, in response to what the hon Mulder has said, may I say that I believe that the House has great faith in the officials who are here, and that they will be able to make a simple calculation - that 400 minus 67, leaves 333. [Applause.] [Laughter.] I would seriously suggest that whether the DA picks up its ballot papers or not, it would make no difference to the results whatsoever. [Applause.]
Hon members, we have already started and are under way. We have adopted a particular procedure and I think we should continue. [Applause.] [Interjections.] Order!
Hon Chief Justice, on a point of order: One doesn't even start to understand what that meowing was all about - the animal noises. [Laughter.] I would really submit that that was totally and utterly unparliamentary. [Applause.]
You will appreciate that I was not a parliamentarian. [Applause.] [Laughter.] Therefore, the language that is used here is sometimes strange to me. I suggest that we should proceed. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] What I would like to say is that members should avoid being provocative. Let us get on with it.
Chief Justice, we agree with the objections and the fact that the language used was unparliamentary.
Thank you. Shall we get on with it?
I am trying to be the centre of attraction too. [Laughter.] Are there any members who have not voted, and would like to do so now? [Interjections.]
Mr Chief Justice, about 67 of us did not vote. [Laughter.]
If not, the assistant returning officers will now close and seal the ballot boxes. The ballot boxes have been closed and sealed. I am now suspending proceedings to enable the returning officers to count the votes and report to me. We shall resume proceedings when the bells are rung. I estimate that it would be about 30 minutes.
Business suspended at 15:27 and resumed at 16:00.
The Chief Justice took the Chair and announced the results of the ballot as follows:
Mr Hamilton Mvumelwano Dandala: 47 Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma: 277
Mr Zuma, accordingly, elected President of the Republic.
The Chief Justice congratulated Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma on his election as President.
The Speaker took the Chair.
The Speaker thanked the Chief Justice for conducting the proceedings. Parties and the President-elect were afforded the opportunity to address the House.