PAP Presidency Elections Postponed Indefinitely as Chaos Erupts Once Again
- The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) presidency elections have been postponed indefinitely after chaos erupted once more during the sitting in Midrand
- This follows Tuesday's sitting which turned into a ruckus due to southern African regions wanting the presidency to be chosen through a rotational system
- Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are standing firm in their thoughts that the rotational system should be implemented for fairness
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand sitting was suspended again last night, this time indefinitely. On Tuesday, after the pandemonium at the proceedings, opposing regions from the African continent fought over the election of a new PAP president.
Various countries from southern Africa stood strong with their call that the PAP presidency should work in a rotational system. They stated that the rotational system follows the guidelines set out by the African Union.
The countries from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are standing together as they call for the rotational system to be implemented. The countries reportedly do not want to be 'dominated' by central and western African countries.
Source: Getty Images
Suspension
Jeffrey Onganga, PAP Secretariat Spokesperson, confirmed the suspension, as reported by News24. Onganga said the suspension is indefinite and that dates would be confirmed at a later stage.
The PAP session was intended to run from 21 May to 4 June.
How does the presidency voting work?
The position of president was usually decided by the number of votes an individual obtained. The PAP president is the head of its bureau. The bureau is made up of four vice-presidents. The seniority of the vice-presidents is determined by the number of votes they received.
PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel
Time to chill
EWN reported that clerk Harawa revealed that the proceedings were suspended to allow members to 'cool off' after the chaos that has been erupting over the past few days.
On Tuesday, Briefly News reported that issues arose again at the Pan African Parliament as resistance to the rotational system continues. Once again, EFF leader Julius Malema was at the centre of controversy.
A video has gone viral on social media platforms showing Malema being violently shoved by a female delegate. A person can be heard in the background of the video which was recorded in someone's house. They can be heard saying "Malema, shame" followed by "gender-based violence".
Malema becomes a lightning rod
Julius Malema has become a centre of attention of the sitting and he has remained in attendance. His presence became contentious last week when he and a Mali MP got into an altercation when he and the Malema exchanged death threats.
Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!
Source: Briefly News
