Parliament will be hosting the President of the Republic, Mr. Jacob Zuma, on Tuesday 17 June, when he delivers his first State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of the two Houses of the fifth democratic Parliament.
We are looking forward to a memorable day for all South Africans, Parliament’s guests and for the many people, all over the world, who will be following the address on the internet, television and on radio.
PARLIAMENT’S THEME
It is customary for Parliament to adopt a theme for each year. The themes aim to capture the essence of Parliament’s focus in exercising its responsibilities. Our theme for this year - “20 years of a democratic Parliament” - reflects a milestone in our democracy. The unveiling of a bust of our first democratically-elected President Nelson Mandela on 28 April, the day after Freedom Day, kick-started our programme of marking this historic year.
WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS?
The State of the Nation Address is a key event on our national calendar. This particular Address is especially significant for various other important reasons. Among these is that it comes a day after the historic Youth Day, June 16, and that we have now entered our second decade of democracy.
As has been the case in the last term in particular, the Address will again be delivered at 19.00. Delivery of the address in the evening has enabled many more people to follow proceedings, to form an opinion about government’s plans and to engage with these plans. This has served to deepen, even more, the role of Parliament as a platform for public consideration of issues.
The State of the Nation Address provides Parliament with the opportunity to enhance its oversight responsibility, to identify key aspects of the lawmaking and oversight programme for the coming period and to plan how to facilitate public involvement in this work.
Parliament also provides a public forum for consideration of the President’s message. This happens in debate on the address in Parliament and the President’s reply to the debate.
In a general election year, like this one, there are two State of the Nation Addresses – one in February and another one after the election and the establishment of a new Parliament.
THE ADDRESS ON TUESDAY
The State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, 17 June will again be a full ceremonial occasion, involving all branches of the state and including public participation.
This state ceremony, the only one which takes place at Parliament, involves:
- A mounted police escort and a military ceremonial motor escort
- Lining of the President’s route to Parliament by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
- A red carpet at Parliament lining the President’s route to the National Assembly building
- Public participation along the walk by the President, accompanied by Parliament’s Presiding Officers and the Secretary to Parliament, from the Slave Lodge to the saluting dais in front of the National Assembly building
- Cultural performances along the red carpet route
- A national salute by the Ceremonial Guard of the SANDF, a military band, a salute flight by the South African Air Force and a 21-gun salute
- A praise singer at the entrance to the National Assembly Chamber
However, this being winter in Cape Town, we have made provision for a wet weather plan for the State of the Nation Address ceremony - in case the prevalence of wind and rain make this unavoidable.
PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS IN THE CEREMONY
With the dawn of our democracy in 1994, Parliament’s doors opened to all, in word and also in deed. The State of the Nation Address became more than simply a ceremony of state. It became a celebration of our new democracy and public participation was added to the ceremony.
Public participants in the ceremony on Tuesday will be a Junior Guard of Honour, a Civil Guard of Honour, nine Eminent Persons, a praise singer, university students and cultural groups.
The Eminent Persons are selected by Provincial Legislatures in recognition of their contribution to our democracy. The names received so far are:
- Eastern Cape: Nondwe Mankahla
- Free State: Reverend Peter Rolly Kock
- Gauteng: Mmapelane Sinah Vacu
- Limpopo: Livhuwani Martha Ngwana
- Mpumalanga: Tikhona Ivy Jele
- Northern Cape : Kedibone Patricia Nkomombini
- North West: Mosela Selina Matome
We are still awaiting names from the Northern Cape and the Western Cape.
- The 120 participants in the Junior Guard of Honour will be drawn from two Cape Town high schools – Walmer High School and Maitland High School.
- The 120 participants in the Civil Guard of Honour will be drawn from Parliament’s officials with 20 years’ or more service.
- A praise singer will lead the President into the National Assembly Chamber. The praise singer will be Mr. Eric Sifiso Lubisi, who hails from Schultzendal in Mpumalanga and is a Grade 7 educator t Schultzendal Primary School.
- Students from the three universities in the Western Cape – the University of Cape Town, the University of Stellenbosch and the University of the Western Cape – have been invited as Parliament’s guests and will be in the National Assembly public gallery for the President’s address. Twenty-seven students have been invited.
- Cultural groups, chosen on a rotational basis and in keeping with the theme for the State of the Nation Address, perform along the President’s red carpet route from the Slave Lodge to the National Assembly.
The State of the Nation Address is one of the rare occasions when all three arms of the state – the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature - come together in one place. The ceremony is a combination of public participation and a formal state ceremony. The public participation part of the procession is important because Parliament strives to make the institution accessible to people and to facilitate public involvement in the lawmaking and other processes of Parliament.
GUESTS
Besides those who form part of the public participation component of the ceremony , guests who have been invited include:
- Former Presidents, former Deputy Presidents, former Presiding Officers and former Chief Justices
- Representatives of statutory and Constitutional institutions
- Heads of Mission (the diplomatic corps)
- Guests of the President
- Representatives of the House of Traditional Leaders
- The Mayor of the City of Cape Town
- Representatives from civil society organisations, religious bodies, state-owned enterprises, business and trade organisations, trade union federations, academic and research institutions
- Members of the Judiciary
- Directors-general of national government departments
- Guests of political parties represented in Parliament
- Guests of members – members, including ministers and deputy ministers attend as part of their duties as public representatives
BROADCAST OF THE ADDRESS
The whole of South Africa will be catered for through various media platforms.
We have accredited hundreds of journalists from all major broadcast, print and community media to bring the experience to the homes of as many South Africans as possible.
We invite you to continue being part of the address which will be streamed live on Parliament’s website and broadcast live on radio and television and at public viewing sites.
The debate in Parliament on the address and the President’s reply will be streamed live on Parliament’s website, broadcast live on Parliament’s DSTV television channel and on Parliament’s YouTube channel (@ParliamentofRSA). You can also join the conversation on Twitter (@ParliamentofRSA #SONA2014).
