Opinion
4 hours ago
All systems go for SONA 2023
CAPE TOWN - The Speaker of the National Assembly has given the Cape Town City Hall the thumbs to host the State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening.
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, along with presiding officers and house chairs, inspected the area, which has officially been declared a Parliamentary precinct on Wednesday.
They were happy with the arrangements as well as the seating order for all political parties.
The venue has taken on the role of the National Assembly for the second time after the devastating fire in January 2022, which nearly reduced the parliamentary building to ashes.
Mapisa-Nqakula says she is aware of threats to disrupt SONA, but assures South Africans that it will be handled according to the rules of Parliament and that the show will go on.
She appealed to people to understand the importance of a State of a Nation Address, adding that it is about a country whose freedom we fought so hard for.
* eNCA's Ayesha Ismail reports.