The National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the parliament of South Africa’s regional governments, has elected former Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo as its new chairman.
Masondo’s election on Thursday came a day after the National Assembly elected former NCOP chair Thandi Modise as its new boss.
Former Communications Minister Yunus Carrim nominated Masondo to the position, with the latter’s name confirmed after his name went unopposed.
Addressing the council on Thursday, Masondo told members that the NCOP plays three basic functions – a representative, legislative and an oversight role to ensure that government was kept accountable.
“Let me take this opportunity to reassure you that we will do all we can to master and deepen the art of doing.
“We will not merely dwell on matters theoretically, as important as this might be. We will grapple with the most difficult – the art of doing.
“We will seek and strive to build the culture as we grapple with the critical issues in the context of cooperative governance.
“I commit and undertake to do so, sparing neither strength nor courage… to the best of my ability,” he said.
NM/as/APA