We are on the last mile of preparations for the 2017 State of the Nation Address, which will be delivered to the joint sitting of Parliament tomorrow evening at 19:00 sharp.
We have observed great levels of enthusiasm among many of our guests to be part of the 2017 State of the Nation Address tomorrow. Many of our special guests have started arriving and this afternoon we received the President of the Pan African Parliament, His Excellency, Mr Roger Nkodo Dang. Other very important dignitaries confirmed to come and witness the 2017 SONA are:
- Former President Thabo Mbeki and Mrs Zanele Mbeki;
- Former Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr Mninwa Mahlangu;
- The Mayor of Cape Town Ms Patricia De Lille; and
- Premiers from all provinces, Speakers of Provincial Legislatures and Judges.
We also appreciate the presence of Mr Roelf Meyer, Ms Myakayaka-Manzini and Mr Wally Serote, who played a pivotal role in the formulation of the Constitution, whose 20 anniversary is being celebrated this year alongside the National Council of Provinces that came into effect and existence on 4 and 6 of February respectively.
As a people’s Parliament we have senior citizens, nine eminent persons selected by our Provincial Legislatures, winners of a public education radio campaign run in collaboration with SABC radio stations. We too have members of the public, captains of industry, leaders of civil society organisations such as NGOs, Labour Unions, Faith Based Organisations, Academia and traditional leadership.
We are also appreciative of the interest demonstrated by the media as over 70 media establishments with over 740 media workers accredited already. We wish to give assurances as Presiding Officers that the role of the media is cherished, as it defines the character of our constitutional democracy, which we celebrating this year. We can assure you that no one will do anything in our watch to curtail the freedoms the media enjoys, for which many Members of Parliament suffered severely to achieve. Millions of our people will be watching the State of the Nation on TVs and listening to Radio across the country, while thousands will be watching the SONA in over 40 Public Viewing Areas nationally, organised by the GCIS.
The theme for the 2017 SONA is “Celebrating 20 Years of the Constitution and the National Council of Provinces”. The 2017 State of the Nation Address takes place in this context, including all other key policy pronouncements and programmes of action that will be tabled between tomorrow and May 2017.
The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is the most critical point in the overall programme of the state in a given year. It is a constitutional injuction, as the joint session is summoned by the President as an extraordinary session to attend to a special business, in line with Section 84(2)(D) of the Constitution. These Constitutional provisions are also captured in Parliament’s Joint Rule 7(1)(a). In October 2016 the Presidency submitted a request for the joint sitting on 9 February 2017, where the President will table the State of the Nation Address, as the only business of the day. The joint session of the National Assembly and the NCOP is therefore convened in terms of these Constitutional provisions, and cannot be equated with any other session of Parliament.
SONA brings together the three Arms of State, the Executive led by the President, the Legislature led by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the NCOP, and the Judiciary led by the Chief Justice, in a single engagement that affirms each Arm’s roles and responsibilities in our constitutional democracy. Essentially the top five citizens of South Africa will be in one place at the same time, alongside former heads of these Arms of State, as well as captains of industry, leaders of civil society formations including labour, faith based organisations, academia, NGOs, traditional leadership, and ambassadors of various nations. The public is also extensively represented and involved.
Marks the beginning of a substantive Parliamentary programme for 2017. It is a high-note start to a comprehensive programme of exercising the powers of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures in driving the implementation of five strategic priorities of the sector that include: strengthening of oversight and accountability of the Executive, citizen involvement and participation, cooperative governance, international relations and strengthening of the capacity of the legislative sector. It kicks-in a policy pronouncement and accountability phase, where the whole of the Executive, from the President to each Minister, tables their policy statements and resourcing plans for improving people’s lives towards the attainment of the national goals reached by consensus and outlined in the National Development Plan.
The 2017 SONA will be the 10th by President Jacob Zuma, in his capacity as Head of State. He will table a programme of action for the year, account for progress made since the previous commitments in February 2016. It will be followed by a debate on 14-15 February, when all political parties have an opportunity to critique and debate the State of the Nation Address in line with their respective organisational mandates. The President will then reply to the debate on 16 February 2017. On the 22 February, the Minister of Finance will table the national budget, which would demonstrate how the policy pronouncements and the programme of action outlined by the President would be funded. This pinnacle point in the Parliamentary programme, is very critical for it unlocks a whole year’s programme of improving people’s lives. As a standard practice by both the Portfolio Committees of the National Assembly and the Select Committees of the NCOP, stakeholders are engaged to scrutinise the strategic and annual performance plans of various departments, state institutions and agencies assigned to drive the execution of the Constitution.
These are provisions jointly approved by both houses of Parliament, and should be respected by all involved in order to maintain the discipline and proper functioning of Parliament, a matter that was affirmed by a High Court decision in December 2016. We trust that this ruling will be respected, not only by Parliament, but by all concerned.
State of readiness for a successful 2017 SONA
Parliament is ready to successfully host the President for the delivery of the SONA on Thursday, 9 February 2017. A comprehensive machinery has been engaged under the leadership of the Secretary to Parliament, to deliver this important milestone in our corporate calendar as Parliament. This has been our progressive approach over the past two decades in collaboration with numerous stakeholders within the state and outside of the state.
The expected pomp and ceremony that has grown to characterise this window of South Africa in all her facets, will be delivered to the best of our ability, in an efficient and effective manner. It is indeed all systems go for the 9 February 2017, and Parliament has done thorough planning that befits an occasion of this magnitude, where all three arms of the state will be in action together for ensuring a better life for all our people.
We thank you all for being here and trust that all will go well.
