A warning has been issued to MPs who attempt to disrupt tonight’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) in which President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to unpack plans to tackle the energy crisis.
On Monday, EFF leader Julius Malema, speaking in the Free State, said the party would use its platform to disrupt Ramaphosa’s speech.
The president will deliver the Sona on the back of the Phala Phala farm robbery scandal and ongoing investigations. Ramaphosa has asked the Constitutional Court to review and set aside the Section 89 panel report into the matter that found that he may have a case to answer.
Despite the warning from the EFF, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said that Ramaphosa would be able to deliver his address.
Parliament’s presiding officers say they expect all MPs during the joint sitting of the two houses to conduct themselves according to the rules of the house.
The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli, said any form of protest that was within the rules of the house would be allowed.
He said MPs could not protest in Parliament as they would outside its doors, adding that any protest inside had to be done “properly, fairly and with respect”.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said that if Ramaphosa did not declare a state of disaster over the energy crisis, then the speech would be a failure.
“A state of disaster must be declared to remove the red tape around the procurement process so that equipment needed for Eskom can be procured without delay, and additional capacity can be sourced from neighbouring countries.”
DA MP Kevin Mileham said he was not confident that Ramaphosa would deliver more detail on the energy crisis, and instead expected more promises.
“We are going to hear that load shedding will be resolved in the next 12 months to two years. We need to see tangible solutions, a concrete plan of action, and most importantly, the government getting out of the way.
“The private sector wants to help resolve the energy crisis, but the government must just get out of their way.”
On Monday DA leader John Steenhuisen delivered what he called “his true State of the Nation Address”, saying the country was lurching from one crisis to the next. While describing load shedding as “the single biggest impediment to investment and growth” in the country, he said it was only one of many major challenges.
“Our post office has collapsed. Our freight rail network has collapsed. Our passenger rail service has collapsed.
“Our ports have all but collapsed. Our police service is losing the war on violent crime. And municipal service delivery in hundreds of towns across the country is virtually non-existent.”
Build One South Africa movement founder Mmusi Maimane called on Ramaphosa to reveal details of plans for the country.
“If we look at the trajectory of the past four or five years, if we are honest with ourselves, the majority of people will say we are not heading in the right direction,” Maimane said.