5 May 2009

Preparations began before dawn on Monday to welcome members of South Africa's fourth Parliament for a session likely to be more robust than the last thanks to a reinforced opposition presence.

An army of officials set up welcome signs, tables, computers, flower arrangements and camera booths in the Old Assembly Wing to register 400 MPs before the house sits on Wednesday to elect Jacob Zuma as president.

"We started at 4am. It all has to be done by Wednesday early," said parliamentary official Shenaaz Dramat.

Like conscientious pupils, members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) were first in line to sign up for the new term, their ranks swollen and spirits buoyed by last month's improved election showing of 16%.

"There are lot of new MPs, coming sort of from the outside," said former party liaison officer Lindiwe Mazibuko, who is now heading for the National Assembly.

"So it's a nice mix of experience and excited newcomers."

DA veteran Dene Smuts had to think for a while before concluding: "Yes, this is my fifth time," and thanking staff for a streamlined registration process that saw members wait less than an hour for new security passes, he said: "It's most impressive."

But there was only a trickle of African National Congress (ANC) members and no sign of members of the Congress of the People (Cope), leaving officials fretting that by lunchtime they had only registered 65 MPs.

Cope is preparing to take up 30 seats in the National Assembly -- the same number as those shed by the ANC -- after winning 7,4% of votes in the national elections.

Cope spokesperson Philip Dexter confirmed that the party was meeting in Cape Town, amid reports that it is trying to convince president and long-time ANC minister Mosiuoa Lekota to take a seat in the opposition benches, while he is keen to stay at headquarters in Johannesburg.

"I'm very happy to come back to Parliament. I'm happy with our [election] result and I think it's going to be good," said the former ANC MP and South African Communist Party treasurer.

It was still unclear where the new party would set up their offices.

Parliamentary spokesperson Luzuko Jacobs said Parliament had enough offices for 400 MPs but hinted there was a possibility Cope could not necessarily hope to have all its people in one place.

The Marks building is believed to be full, and there is talk of sandwiching Cope members in between the ANC offices in the New Assembly wing.

"Overall there are enough offices in Parliament. We will of course try to keep members of the same party together. That will be our first preference," Jacobs said.

Opposition MPs said Cope's entry into Parliament will help mark a change from the Mbeki era, when debates were an acrimonious battle between the ruling party and the DA, with the outcome mostly a foregone conclusion.

Long-time DA MP Stuart Farrow said the ANC would "no longer be able to play the race card" against the opposition because the rise of Cope has blurred the ethnic lines in local politics.

"I think that was very much a part of the Mbeki era anyway. It was very restrictive and I think things are going to be more open and lively," he said in his office in the Marks building.

"I've seen Zuma in action in Parliament and he is much more open. He listens and if he does not know the answer, he giggles and laughs."

There was much traffic, and a few regrets, in the block housing the opposition as departing MPs piled files into boxes and others moved in.

Among those who won't be back is Eddie Trent who, along with Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, led the opposition charge to keep corruption linked to the arms deal on the agenda.

"Don't forget about the arms deal," were his parting words to colleagues and the press as he loaded his car boot last week and headed for retirement. -- Sapa