President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first State of the Nation Address (Sona) will be different to the last turbulent one delivered by Jacob Zuma.
And the reason is an undertaking given this week by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.
“The State of the Nation Address will be delivered in a peaceful environment‚” Malema said at a press briefing on Thursday.
“We are giving Cyril that chance … I don’t want a situation where he says‚ ‘No‚ you never gave me a chance‚ you just started (disrupting the National Assembly) from the onset.’”
But the undertaking came with a caveat. “We are giving him a chance. And then … one of the things that he has to announce – removal of (the) minister of finance‚ please‚” he said.
Ramaphosa Sona - why it won't be a circus
Image: Alaister Russell
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first State of the Nation Address (Sona) will be different to the last turbulent one delivered by Jacob Zuma.
And the reason is an undertaking given this week by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.
“The State of the Nation Address will be delivered in a peaceful environment‚” Malema said at a press briefing on Thursday.
“We are giving Cyril that chance … I don’t want a situation where he says‚ ‘No‚ you never gave me a chance‚ you just started (disrupting the National Assembly) from the onset.’”
But the undertaking came with a caveat. “We are giving him a chance. And then … one of the things that he has to announce – removal of (the) minister of finance‚ please‚” he said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters plans to table a motion to dissolve Parliament, EFF leader Julius Malema said on Thursday February 15 2018, adding that the party also wanted to have a peaceful state of the nation address. Subscribe to TimesLIVE here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TimesLive
The red berets frequently disrupted the National Assembly while Zuma was speaking.
Zuma had barely said “thank you” as he took to the podium at the Sona in 2017 when the fireworks began. Malema stood up and described Zuma as “an incorrigible man‚ rotten to the core” and vowed not to let him speak.
Watch Julius Malema getting very, very angry at SONA 2017
Zuma brushed aside most of the confrontations by simply ignoring Malema or dismissing him with his trademark chortle. Malema did‚ however‚ manage to touch a nerve during a sitting while Zuma was answering questions in the National Assembly in August 2017. The two had a heated‚ finger-pointing exchange.
“Honourable speaker‚ I don’t know whether members want to play politics. Firstly‚ people every day say something about President Zuma in this country. Should I stand every day‚ take everybody to court? You (he said pointing at Malema) say a lot of things about me. Should I do so?” he asked.
Malema nodded. “You can take me to court‚” he shouted.
President Jacob Zuma responds to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town. Among the issues, the President is expected to respond to are questions on the recent G20 Summit in July, as well as on the impact of the Siyahlola Presidential Programme and other monitoring mechanisms on the communities. The state of the country's SOE's is also expected to top the agenda. This against the backdrop of what is happening at ESKOM, SABC, SAA and others State Owned Institutions. For more news, visit: http://www.sabc.co.za/news
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