It is all systems go for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to be delivered by President Jacob Zuma on 11 February 2010.
The President chose 11 February to coincide with the anniversary of the release of President Nelson Mandela from prison.
The President is putting final touches to his speech. It will celebrate the achievements of the country since former President Mandela’s release and progress made since the 2009 SONA. It will also outline the work that is to be done to effectively change the way government works, in order to speed up service delivery.
Last year’s SONA laid the foundation for the promotion of a responsive, interactive and effective developmental state. This was taken further by the January Cabinet Lekgotla which finalised the approach that will form the basis of the 2010 SONA.
The government remains committed to making a difference in the five priorities: education, health, rural development and land reform, the fight against crime and creating decent work.
President Zuma’s passion also lies in changing the way public servants work. It is for this reason that he met with police station commanders, municipal managers and school principals to share his vision for a more caring, responsive and people-centred public service. The Presidential Hotline was established for this purpose, to make civil servants more in tune with the needs of ordinary people and to learn to take citizens seriously.
The Joint Sitting of Parliament for the SONA will also be extra special due to the guests that will be part of the occasion.
A number of former political prisoners who served time on Robben Island have been invited. The SONA will therefore also mark a reunion of former freedom fighters from the African National Congress (ANC), Pan-Africanist Congress and the black consciousness movement.
Women who served time as sentenced prisoners in various centres have also been invited to share the occasion, representing many others who will not be able to join the ceremony due to space constraints. The former prisoners are expected to be joined by some of the former members of the Rivonia Trial legal team.
On 12 February, President Zuma will host a reunion lunch with the former prisoners at Groote Schuur residence, the venue of the historic signing of the Groote Schuur Minute on 4 May 1990, aimed at removing obstacles to negotiation for a democratic South Africa, between the government then, and the ANC.
Ahead of the SONA, President will on Tuesday, 9 February receive credentials from the Ambassadors and High Commissioners-designate of the Seychelles, Cote d’Ivoire, Mongolia and Sri Lanka, Ecuador and Latvia. The ceremony will take place at Tuynhuys, Cape Town, at 08h30.
At 12h00 the President will meet with leaders of political parties represented in Parliament. He undertook in the State of the Nation Address of 2009 to meet with leaders at regular intervals to keep channels of communication open and also to enable government to brief them on various issues.
On Wednesday at 14h00, the President will meet with school children who are participating in a competition to promote the SONA in schools, organised by the Government Communications (GCIS), Department of Basic Education and Sanlam.
The SONA will take place at 19h00 for the first time to allow more citizens to watch, especially school children and workers who do not have access to television and radio sets during the day.
Enquiries:
Vincent Magwenya
Cell: 072 715 0024
Issued by: The Presidency
7 February 2010
