National Assembly Speaker, Thandi Modise, says she hopes President Cyril Ramaphosa will outline what the government has done to implement the promises he made last year.
She says it is important for the President to outline steps being taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to get the country out of the economic crisis.
Modise says it is also time for the President to ensure that those involved in corruption are dealt with. “What are we doing about those who are scattering our plans to develop and to grow our economy and talking to another prison cells being cleaned out. The cost of getting ready to deal with whatever. So, I am hoping that we will get something that says I’m in charge. The courts are in charge. Parliament are you in charge because then we must be able to say we are ready to follow through on the steps that you are telling, you are doing,” she says.
Modise addresses the media regarding the SONA preparations:
Call for clarity
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Ramaphosa to use the SONA to clarify what steps are being taken to ensure the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines. The party also wants him to outline steps for economic recovery from the impact of the lockdown.
DA national spokesperson, Siviwe Gwarube, says many South Africans are suffering as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
“There’s great angst in the country about – are we going to be able to meet our deadline of vaccinating 40 million people by the end of the year? And so, he’s gonna make some bold pronouncements about where we are partying the vaccine, at what cost, what the funding streams look like. He also needs to make some bold mountains around economic reform. We’ve had a devastating year after the past financial year and many South Africans find themselves now and joining the unemployment queues,” says Gwarube.
A different SONA
This year’s address is expected to cost just over R100 000. This is significantly less than the more than R2 million it cost the taxpayers last year. Due to COVID-19, the usual pomp and ceremony around the event have been cancelled.
Only 50 people will be allowed inside the National Assembly when President Ramaphosa presents his address, while other Members of Parliament and guests will follow proceedings on virtual platforms.
Modise says this year, the biggest expense would be connectivity costs. “We did mention in the briefing last week that the only cost to bear as Parliament for this particular SONA will be the cost of paying for virtual connectivity. Thus far partly estimating just over R100 000 for this whole exercise,” she has told the media.
