Parliament to elect new president on Friday

South Africa’s parliament will reconvene on Friday to elect the president, the chief justice announced, as political parties continue talks aimed at forming a new government.

The first sitting of legislators since the national elections on 29 May will also vote in a speaker and deputy speaker, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said in a statement on Monday.

“The Secretary to Parliament has received formal correspondence in this regard and will henceforth make the necessary arrangements for the first sitting of the National Assembly to take place in accordance with the determination made by the chief justice,” he said.

The African National Congress, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, last month lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power three decades ago.

Its invited opposition parties to join a broad alliance — known as a government of national unity — to form the next administration.

Among the parties that have expressed an interest in joining the new government is the centrist Democratic Alliance.

The party’s federal council, its top decision-making body, met Monday to discuss its plans to join the government after holding talks with the ANC at the weekend.