Johnathan Paoli
Parliament is satisfied that all preparations are on track ahead of Thursday evening’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to NA speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Speaking on Thursday morning, Mapisa-Nqakula said in terms of logistical, operational and security matters, preparations were ready for the upcoming event.
This is the third SONA being held at the Cape Town City Hall after a fire gutted the National Assembly chamber two years ago.
“We’re ready as you can see, even if you were to go inside you’d see that everything is on top. We’re ready to receive Members of Parliament (MPs), we’re ready to receive the president, who will address the nation and we are not anticipating any problems,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
The Speaker said she was not anxious about the court’s decision regarding suspended EFF MPs and whether or not they would be allowed to attend this evening’s presidential address.
The Western Cape High Court on Tuesday heard an urgent application by the EFF to halt the suspension of Julius Malema, Floyd Shivambu and four other MPs so that they can attend SONA, with the court ruling on Thursday morning that they would not be allowed to attend.
Mapisa-Nqakula previously said the decision was in the court’s hands, and that she remained unbothered no matter the ruling made.
“It’s not personal at all, it’s a matter of some members of a party, unfortunately leadership, having been suspended and of course they’re in court. If the court rules that the members be allowed to attend, I’m not going to be appealing that today. We will allow them to come into the National Assembly, we will comply with the decision of the court. If the court says ‘no’, then it says ‘no’,” the speaker said.
Mapisa-Nqakula is set to join ministers and presiding officers for yet another inspection on Thursday morning, in the finalisation of all details relating to the red carpet evening.
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