The African National Congress has taken over the chair of parliament's watchdog public accounts committee (Scopa), although only on an interim basis.

Vincent Smith, the chairperson of the ANC's public accounts study group, was voted in at a meeting on Tuesday by his party's majority to lead the committee until a permanent chairperson can be found.

This follows the resignation of the Inkatha Freedom Party's Gavin Woods last month, and it is the first time that an opposition party member has not led the crucial oversight committee.

Woods - who is set to remain as an ordinary member of Scopa - and the New National Party's Adriaan Blaas supported Democratic Alliance candidate Nigel Bruce.

DA public accounts spokesperson Raenette Taljaard said the principle of an opposition member leading the committee should never be breached.

A permanent chairperson will be appointed at the first meeting of the second parliamentary session, likely on April 23.

ANC MP Bruce Kannemeyer warned members against rushing into appointing a permanent chairperson, saying that political processes were under way to find a suitable candidate.

The ANC said last week it was committed to an opposition party member chairing Scopa.

NNP MP Pierre Uys's name has been linked to the position. The former Western Cape MEC attended a Scopa plenary meeting for the first time on Tuesday.

United Democratic Movement public accounts spokesperson Gerhard Koornhof said he was disappointed that the interim chairperson was not appointed from the ranks of the opposition.