Recently elected African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Paul Mashatile and three other ruling party officials were sworn-in as new members of parliament on Monday.Mashatile took his oath of office together with other recently elected ANC national executive committee members – the party’s second deputy secretary general Maropene Ramokgopa, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala and ex-Gauteng provincial economic development minister Parks Tau. 

The swearing-in comes in the wake of last week’s resignation of four ANC lawmakers to open up vacancies on the governing party’s parliamentary list to accommodate Mashatlile and his colleagues who are tipped for cabinet positions.

The lawmakers who resigned were Tshilidzi Munyai, Mervyn Dirks, Masefako Clarah Dikgale and Matshidiso Mfikoe.

Munyai and Mfikoe were sworn in as members of the provincial legislature in Gauteng last week.

Mashatile is expected to become South Africa’s next deputy president, taking over from David Mabuza who has tendered his resignation to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The swearing-in comes days before Ramaphosa is due to present his the State of the Nation Address on Thursday.