Major protests planned for Sona
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 country’s energy crisis.
EFF leader Julius Malema has warned that ‘we will never be addressed by a constitutional delinquent, we will be there and we are going to take him head-on’.
Ramaphosa will deliver the Sona on the back of the Phala Phala farm robbery scandal and ongoing investigations.
The Star reports that ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina said Ramaphosa would be able to deliver his address.
Parliament’s presiding officers said they expect all MPs during the joint sitting to conduct themselves according to the rules of the House.
The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli, said any protest that was within the rules of the House would be allowed.
Any protest inside Parliament had to be done ‘properly, fairly and with respect’.
Unions, political parties and civil society organisations with one gripe or another against the government are readying themselves to protest, heckle and even stop Ramaphosa from delivering his speech.
The organisers of these events, planned to take place throughout the day in the heart of Cape Town, spoke about their frustration and anger over the everyday challenges that have led to this action – and why they chose to demonstrate today.
Business Day reports that the SACP in the Western Cape is staging a mass picket, with members from the ANC and Cosatu set to highlight the debilitating crises confronting the working class.
UniteBehind, a civil society coalition made up of more than 20 organisations, is holding a mass load-shedding protest in the city. The protest is also against the increased criminality, fires, lack of healthcare, and loss of income, property and savings resulting from load shedding.
The coalition expected at least 2 500 people to participate from the Movement for Change and Social Justice, Amadoda Qotho, Changing Life, Free Gender, Activist Education & Development Centre, Social Justice Coalition, Reclaim the City, neighbourhood watch associations, Right to Know, African Climate Alliance and Sonke Gender Justice.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
