Disruptions to President’s SONA will be firmly dealt with: Mapisa-Nqakula

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has assured South Africans that disruptions to the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be firmly dealt with.

This follows threats by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which has vowed to not allow President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation.

Speaking to the media outside City Hall in Cape Town, Mapisa-Nqakula says rules need to be followed during proceedings.

“I don’t want to entertain this notion of people who are threatening to disrupt the State of the Nation Address. It will proceed and I can assure you it will be successful. However, we need to have an understanding that we are adults and we are serving the people of South Africa. And that whatever we do inside this House, South African voters put us here. So we have to be patient with one another. There has to be mutual respect and we have to listen to one another. So we don’t have a sleepless night. Although we worry every now and then because people are full of surprises and I hope you’ll also not surprise us.”

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Mapisa-Nqakula has urged all South Africans, including the EFF to respect the SONA.

‘There have been a lot of discussions between our teams and the security cluster, their ministers will also find an opportunity to come and view the way things are arranged. We are also happy with the seating arrangements. And for all MPs, I’ve heard about the threat. As far as we’re concerned, he [President] is not addressing the EFF or the ANC, but he is addressing the nation. So I don’t want to entertain this notion of people who are threatening to disrupt the SONA.

‘Concrete plan for power crisis’  

Meanwhile, former Deputy President Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says she hopes that President Ramaphosa will share more light on how the government is going to address the problem of power supply.

A week ago Ramaphosa, speaking in his capacity as African National Congress president, said the party has proposed that the electricity crisis be declared a national disaster.

Mlambo-Ngcuka has appealed to Ramaphosa to give a timeframe for when the power crisis will be resolved.

“We need a concrete plan on energy when is he going to what is going to happen when. We cannot just walk in a dark light we need a concrete plan.”

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