No request yet for chief justice to preside over swearing in of Ramaphosa as president

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng had on Wednesday afternoon not yet been approached by the National Assembly to preside over the swearing in of Cyril Ramaphosa as South Africa’s new president.

His spokesperson‚ Nathi Mncube confirmed this at around 4pm on Wednesday by simply saying: “No‚ he has not been approached.”

Following an urgent parliamentary caucus meeting of the ANC in Cape Town‚ party treasurer-general Paul Mashatile and chief whip Jackson Mthembu outlined that the ANC was going to amend a motion of no confidence by the EFF on President Jacob Zuma to vote him out of office.

This was provided that Zuma did not resign before the sitting planned for Thursday afternoon‚ as he had he indicated he was unlikely to do in his television interview with the SABC on Wednesday afternoon.

Mthembu said the election of Ramaphosa was expected soon after the motion on Zuma was passed but it was subject to the availability of Mogoeng‚ who is tasked with swearing in the new president.

"I can assure you‚ if we were to elect a new president tomorrow‚ we can have #SONA2018 on Friday‚" Mthembu said.