Opposition parties in SA welcome SONA’s postponement

Political parties have welcomed the postponement of Thursday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) amid concerns over President Jacob Zuma’s future in office.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete says President Zuma had written to Parliament requesting a postponement.

EFF Secretary-general Godrich Gardee says: “The EFF welcomes very much and reiterate the call that actually the motion of no confidence should be convened prior to the SONA which we are not sure when it will be.”

“We know that Mr Zuma is going to refuse to resign. We look forward to the election of a new president of this country. We don’t think it’s Ramaphosa.”

The Inkatha Freedom Party also has described the postponement as historic.

IFP’s Narend Singh says: “The presiding officers took very seriously the concerns of opposition parties as expressed in a letter by Bantu Holomisa on behalf of all of us and by the DA on a separate letter. And we don’t want Parliament to descend into the kind of chaos that it has.”

The Economic Freedom Fighters says a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma should take place before the State of the Nation-Address.

Mbete says a new date for the address will be announced soon.

Meanwhile Democratic Alliance Chief Whip John Steenhuisen says the party is delighted with the decision.

“I think the institution of Parliament has saved the indignity of being addressed by a discredited president of a discredited government.”

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