Former minister of defence and military veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been elected as the is new Speaker of the National Assembly.
The African National Congress (ANC) used its majority to elect her for the crucial position on Thursday.
She defeated DA caucus chairperson Annelie Lotriet despite a cloud hanging over her head, with parliament’s joint committee on defence investigating allegations including a R5 million bribe from a defence contractor.
Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe announced that Mapisa-Nqakula got 199 votes against 82 from Lotriet.
However, there were 17 spoiled votes.
Nqakula was recently fired as the minister of defence by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
She was fired after she contradicted Ramaphosa in saying the violent unrest in Gauteng was not an insurrection but a counter-revolution.
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