Dr Annelie Lotriet
National AssemblyDeputy Speaker of the National Assembly
Party: Democratic Alliance from the regional list for Free State
Profile
Dr. Lotriet – a Member of the Democratic Alliance – was elected Deputy Speaker by 273 votes against Mr. Vuyolwethu Zungula, who received 54 votes votes.
Dr. Lotriet joined Parliament in 2009 and served as DA Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture, Higher Education and Training, and Science and Technology. She also served as the Deputy Whip of the DA in the National Assembly.
She obtained several degrees – a BA in Languages, Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, B.Ed, M.Ed, D.Ed, and an LLB from Unisa. Following a career in academia, she ventured into politics and became a DA ward councillor in Mangaung in 2000.
According to the Assembly Rules, whenever the Speaker is absent or unable to perform the functions of his or her office, or when that office is vacant, the Deputy Speaker must act as Speaker. The Deputy Speaker presides over a sitting of the House whenever requested to do so. She also presides over the meetings of the Rules Committee and Programme Committee when the Speaker is absent or when requested to do so.
Similarly, he or she co-chairs with the Chairperson of the Council meetings of the Joint Programme Committee, Joint Rules Committee, and the Joint Tagging Mechanism when the Speaker is absent. Under NA Rule 217, he or she is the Chairperson of the Assembly Disciplinary Committee. The Speaker may delegate other functions to the Deputy Speaker.