This will not be a business as usual SONA
As the nation awaits president Jacob Zuma’s state of the nation address this evening – there’ve been very little said about what he must actually verbalise. That’s because the voices of decent against the Zuma presidency have been rising here in the mother city.
But the voices lauding Zuma and insisting that he must serve out his term, have been equally vociferous.
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga believes tensions must be expected, given the extraordinary year that the country has had.
He cites the release of the State of Capture report and what it revealed, as a huge contributor to the current mood.
“People believe that president Zuma is not the right person to deliver the state of the nation, hence you see the escalation about activities and protests and picketing around this year’s state of the nation.” says Mathekga
The debate took a combative turn when the SANDF was mentioned.
Whether these members of the defence force will be in or outside the parliamentary precinct – the mere mention of the 441 deployed personnel, didn’t go down well with many South Africans or political parties.
Mathekga says the issue has been so controversial that people will be talking about it beyond the state of the nation address.
He says the issue is also much broader than extra bodies to secure parliament.
Many organisations, under the banner of the Save our South Africa campaign, have made it clear that president Zuma can no longer stay in office.
At a gathering in St. George’s cathedral, SaveSA convenor, Sipho Pityana, insisted that this year’s state of the nation address, must be Zuma’s last.
Section 27’s Mark Heywood agrees, and says a change of political leadership is desperately needed.
“ The president that we have is not fit for office. He has been found to have violated the constitution” says Heywood.
President Jacob Zuma is no stranger to delivering the state of the nation address.
But 2017 might just prove to be his toughest year yet.