Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma has arrived at Parliament for the first State of the Nation Address since the change of administration.
President Zuma looked dapper on the red carpet wearing a dark suite and a wine-red tie and accompanied by Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma. This is his first public engagement after resting at home following a busy election schedule.
President Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of the two Houses of the fifth democratic Parliament at 7pm.
He is expected to expand on his announcement in his Inaugural address that government will focus on the implementation of radical socio-economic transformation policies and programmes over the next five years.
He said at the time that economic transformation will take centre stage during this new term of government.
The event has been a full ceremonial occasion involving a mounted police escort and a military ceremonial motor escort, a national salute by the Ceremonial Guard of the SANDF, a military band, a salute flight by the South African Air Force and a 21-gun salute.
There was also a Junior Guard of Honour, a Civil Guard of Honour, nine Eminent Persons, a praise singer, university students and cultural groups.
Earlier, Members of Parliament, diplomats and invited guests lit up the red carpet with various expressions of style.
Despite the chilly and windy weather, the rain has held off and there was no need for Parliament to revert to a wet weather plan.
The State of the Nation Address is one of the rare occasions when all three arms of the state – the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature - come together in one place. The ceremony is a combination of public participation and a formal state ceremony.
A praise singer, Eric Sifiso Lubisi, will lead the President into the National Assembly Chamber, accompanied by the Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete and Deputy Speaker, among others. – SAnews.gov.za
