Thoko Didiza: SONA more than ceremony, it’s about executive accountability

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said that the State of the Nation Address (SONA) is more than just a ceremonial occasion, serving as a reaffirmation of Parliament’s constitutional mandate to hold the executive to account.

All three arms of state, including at least two former presidents, confirmed their presence at the Cape Town City Hall for when President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his 10th address on Thursday night.

Parliament will spend around R7 million on the occasion, which also includes the delivery of the national budget in two weeks’ time.

Both houses of Parliament will meet on Thursday night in a joint sitting of 490 lawmakers.

The City Hall has been the designated venue for the address since the 2022 fire, which gutted the National Assembly chamber.

In the public gallery will be High Court judge presidents led by Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo.

Former presidents Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma indicated their presence, while former president Thabo Mbeki sent his apologies.

While SONA officially kicks off the parliamentary year, Didiza said it is also an important signifier for Parliament to legislate in the public interest and facilitate meaningful public participation, as well as serving as a platform for national dialogue.

"We want to assure South Africans that Parliament is operationally ready, institutionally focused and firmly committed to ensure that this State of the Nation Address sets the tone for a year of intensified oversight, responsive lawmaking and tangible delivery."

The address will be debated over two days next week before the president is expected to offer a reply.

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