SONA to be addressed by ‘whoever is president’

There is speculation that President Jacob Zuma will not be given the opportunity to address the legislature, as he could be recalled by the African National Congress (ANC) before February 8. 

Presiding Officers Baleka Mbete, Thandi Modise, Lechesa Tsenoli and Raseriti Tau gave an update on Parliament's state of readiness for SONA. 

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has asked Mbete to postpone SONA until Parliament has had an opportunity to elect a new president. 

National Council of Provinces chair Thandi Modise says the party did not follow the correct procedure.

"I think the members of the National Assembly wrote to the speaker of National Assembly and did not write to us (NCOP).

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"SONA is a joint sitting, so there is no way on behalf of the NCOP to discuss a matter that we have not been invited to discuss." 

The deputy chair of the NCOP, Raseriti Tau, believes President Jacob Zuma will address this year's SONA.

"So far, at the State of the Nation Address the current head of state, is the head of state of the Republic of South Africa, is expected to deliver the State of Nation Address." 

Modise says there is no intention from any of the Presiding Officers to approach any president to tell them that they should not address SONA.