MAHIKENG – In a significant political development, former Education MEC Viola Ntsetsao Motsumi has been officially elected as the new Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, 18 August 202
Motsumi’s election to the legislative chair comes exactly six days after she was removed from her position as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education during a cabinet reshuffle announced by North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi.
The position of Speaker became vacant following the same reshuffle, in which the former Speaker, Dr. Desbo Mohono, was redeployed by Premier Mokgosi to take over the provincial Education portfolio.
Following her exit from the executive council, the African National Congress (ANC) announced Motsumi as its designated candidate to fill the legislative vacancy.
Motsumi is highly experienced within the legislative branch, having previously served as the Deputy Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature from May 2019 until December 2022. At the time of her initial election in 2019, she made history as the youngest deputy speaker in South Africa. She vacated that role in late 2022 when she was first appointed to the provincial executive council under former Premier Bushy Maape.
Her return to parliamentary leadership marks a swift redeployment amid internal provincial government adjustments aimed at balancing executive performance and legislative oversight.
Motsumi, has pledged to fiercely guard the constitutional authority and dignity of the legislative body while ensuring strict accountability across the province.
Delivering her maiden address following her election, Motsumi emphasized that holding the provincial executive accountable should never be misconstrued as political hostility.
“Oversight is not hostility. Accountability is not an act of opposition. And scrutiny is not disrespect. A strong Legislature does not weaken government. A strong Legislature helps government govern better,” Motsumi stated firmly.
In her address, she committed to maintaining complete fairness and impartiality, promising to preside over the House regardless of political affiliations and to protect the rights of all Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs).
She pledged to foster an open environment within the chambers where members can ask difficult questions, express sharp disagreements, and engage in vigorous debates, provided that such interactions respect the established Rules, the Constitution, and the fundamental dignity of the House.
A central theme of Motsumi’s address was anchoring the legislative institution to the lived experiences of the citizens of the North West province. She stressed that the Legislature must stay closely attuned to pressing grassroots challenges, explicitly highlighting public concerns regarding employment opportunities, education, healthcare, roads, water access, the responsible utilization of public resources, and the overall delivery of government services.
To ensure transparency, Motsumi announced that the institution would continue its proactive public outreach campaigns, widely known as “taking Parliament to the people,” preventing rural and local communities from feeling distant or alienated from governance structures.
“The Speaker’s Chair does not belong to the person who occupies it. It belongs to the institution. And the institution belongs to the people,” Motsumi noted, emphasizing a legacy driven by institutional permanence rather than personal stature.
Concluding her address, she declared her long-term objective to leave behind a more democratic, accountable, accessible, and effective legislative body for the people of Bokone Bophirima.
“I will seek to make this House larger than any one of us. More democratic,” she concluded.
Following the conclusion of the special sitting, Motsumi immediately assumed her official duties, presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of Rosina Ntshetsana Komane as a new member representing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), filling a vacancy left by the late Primrose Bogatsu.
