The State of the Nation address, or more commonly referred to as Sona, is a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament and one of the rare occasions that brings together the three arms of the state under one roof.
Sona provides the president with an opportunity to speak to the nation on the general state of South Africa, to reflect on a wide range of political, economic and social matters within the domestic and global contexts, to account to the nation on the work of the government and to set out the government’s programme of action. Traditionally, the president makes key government announcements during this important joint sitting of Parliament.
It is a ceremonial joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament, called specifically for the president to deliver his Sona and no other business may be considered on this day.
During the week following the Sona, a debate, over approximately two days, is held on the Sona. The president is then given an opportunity to reply to the debate on the third day and to close the debate. The Sona is one of the major general debates of the parliamentary year.
Parliament may accept, reject or amend the allocation of budgets to government departments to ensure that these are in line with national priorities as outlined in the Sona. Parliament may also withhold the budgets of departments whose annual performance plans are not in line with the priorities.
What are the ceremonials for Sona?
The programme usually begins with three processions. There is the procession of provincial Speakers, provincial premiers, and the judiciary proceeding to the Assembly Chamber through the main entrance of the National Assembly building.
There is the arrival of the presidential cavalcade in the parliamentary precincts. The president alights, is welcomed by the presiding officers and their deputies, and proceeds to the National Assembly chamber. The aides-de-camp lead the presidential procession.
What are aides-de-camp?
As the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, aides-de-camp are attached to the president of the Republic of South Africa at all ceremonies of the state. Their role in the country is limited to ceremonial duties. Once this task has been fulfilled they are immediately withdrawn.
There is a 21-gun salute
In 1842, the 21-gun salute became the international norm as the highest honour a nation rendered and it is fired in honour of the president. The first shot of the salute is synchronised to coincide with the playing of the national anthem. The salute takes one minute and 40 seconds.
Inside the Chamber
Each of the nine provinces is represented by its full quota of six permanent and four rotating members, seated in the removable cross-benches. A delegation of 10 South African Local Government Association members also occupies seats in the cross-benches.
Members’ guests, representatives of statutory and constitutional bodies, the judges president, provincial Speakers, directors-general of state departments, guests from civil society approved by the presiding officers and staff of the Presidency and Parliament are accommodated in the National Assembly Galleries, the Officials’ Bays to the right and left of the Speaker’s Chair and in Room E249 and the Old Assembly Chamber via a live audio-visual relay of the proceedings in the National Assembly Chamber.
The presiding officers and the president enter the Chamber in procession, preceded by the Serjeant-at-Arms and the Usher of the Black Rod and followed by the secretary to Parliament.
What is Imbongi?
A new element of the Sona since the birth of democracy is Imbongi, the praise singer. Although our Parliament is based on the Westminster traditions, Imbongi praise singing gives Africanness pride of place, narrating the president’s personal history, clan and family lineage in song, dance and narration. Imbongi starts the narration as the presidential procession enters the Chamber.
The start of proceedings
The presiding officers, while standing, bow to the left and then to the right in greeting and requests a moment of silence for prayer or meditation. Once everyone is seated, the presiding officer reads out the notice calling the joint sitting and calls on the president to deliver his address to the joint sitting.
As the joint sitting is called specifically for the president to deliver his Sona, no other business may be considered on this day. The president then delivers the Sona and no other debate takes place.
Members of all parties have an opportunity to express themselves on the Sona during a full two-day debate in the week following the Sona. On the third day, the president has an opportunity to reply to the debate and close the debate.
On the conclusion of the president’s speech, the presiding officer adjourns the sitting. Members are required to wait while the procession leaves the chamber.
In previous years, the presiding officers would host a gala dinner after the Sona for members of Parliament and invited guests only, however, due to Parliament’s endeavour to scale down costs, in light of the prevailing economic conditions, this year, again, the post-Sona gala dinner will not take place.
The Sona is due to take place on Thursday at 7pm.
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