2010 State of the Nation Address
- State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma
- Response to the State of the Nation debate by President Zuma
- GCIS State of the Nation Address Information Page
- Statements
Throughout the world Heads of State address their populations at the beginning of each year. The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is an annual event in the Republic of South Africa, in which the President of South Africa reports on the status of the nation, normally to the resumption of a joint sitting of Parliament (the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces).
President Zuma chose the date of 11 February in order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of former President Nelson Mandela from prison. President Mandela’s first steps to freedom from the Victor Verster Prison on 11 February 1990 changed the face of South Africa forever. This particular State of the Nation Address is a celebration of Mandela’s legacy, which exemplifies the principles of forgiveness, humility, good governance, tolerance, equality and a collective effort to ease the burden of poverty and social ills. The day will bring all South Africans together to mark the defining moment in the history of the country, including the unbanning of organizations which happened on the 2nd of February 1990.
The President asked that the time of the address be changed to 19h00 to afford all South Africans, especially the workers, students and school children an opportunity to watch the proceedings in their homes after hours. The majority of workers do not have access to television sets at work, while students and school children are naturally unable to watch due to study commitments during the day when this is an important occasion for them as well.
This speech marks the opening of the parliamentary year and is usually attended by important political and governmental figures of South Africa, including former Presidents, the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court and other members of the judiciary, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, and Ambassadors and Diplomats to the Republic.
The opening is customarily preceded by a procession of the country’s nine Premiers, the Speakers of Legislatures, and the Judge Presidents, followed by the Deputy President and the President. The Presidential procession is marked by a celebratory atmosphere. On the Parliament Street leg of the Presidential procession, members of the public get to participate. More than 200 learners from schools from all nine provinces form a Junior Guard of Honour on either side of the red carpet. A further 100 citizens representing various sectors of the community form a Civil Guard of Honour. They have all been recruited from community and non-governmental organizations who are involved in community development.
The President will also pass by a group of eminent persons, who represent their nine Provinces and a national representative nominated by Parliament’s Presiding Officers. The 2010 eminent persons are drawn from amongst individuals who have made outstanding contributions to our democracy by fighting for the liberation of this country. As part of the special celebration, members of the Madiba Reception Committee have been selected as eminent persons. Provincial Legislatures have been requested to nominate one person each, who will best represent the Province at the State of the Nation Address.
More than 400 members of the public have been invited to the public gallery to hear the President deliver his address. This includes members of civil society organizations such as union federations, business and trade, NGOs and CBOs, academic and research organizations as well as religious bodies.
The Parliamentary Communication Services has again run a competition to give one young person from each of the nine provinces an opportunity to win a seat to the opening. Seats have also been set aside for the top grade 12 learners and nine best-performing teachers from all the provinces.
Completing the public’s involvement are various performers, including an imbongi (praise singer) extolling the Presidential party as it makes its way towards the National Assembly Chamber, where the President’s address will take place.
The address would be preceded by the usual military parade and red-carpet reception of Members of Parliament. The 21-gun salute by the SANDF, national anthem by the Navy Band and fly-past by SAAF jets against the early evening sky will be particularly spectacular.
The SONA will celebrate national unity and reconciliation, especially during a seminal year for the country in which South Africa hosts the FIFA soccer world cup. Join us in this celebration of South African patriotism.
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