"The involvement of schoolchildren at parliamentary occasions such as the State of the Nation is a gesture of the continuation of commitment by the new Parliament to make this a people's Parliament," said Maitland High School grade 9 learner, Mikhail Sullaman, who attended the State of the Nation Address for the first time.
"I [have] watched the previous State of the Nation Addresses on television and noted the participation of school learners. I feel honoured and privileged to be part of a very important programme such as this one," he said.
Prior to the President's address, InSession asked learners to comment on their expectations from the President. A number from the three participating Cape Town schools expected the President to say something on safety at their schools.
"Schooling is seriously threatened by high levels of gangsterism in the Cape Flats, and that affects all the learners in the Western Cape," said student, Chris Stein. They said they supported the government's plans to curb gangsterism in Western Cape schools.
The presidential motorcade took President Jacob Zuma up to the entrance of the Assembly Chamber, where he greeted the eminent persons before the national 21-gun salute and traditional fly-past.
The eminent persons, one from each province, who were invited to participate in the State of the Nation Address also expressed their appreciation of the public participation in the event. They were Mrs Nondwe Mankahla (Eastern Cape), Reverend Peter Rolly (Free State), Mr Mmapelane Vacu (Gauteng), Mrs Theressa Mthembu (KwaZulu-Natal), Ms Livhuwani Ngwane (Limpopo), Ms Tikhona Jele (Mpumalanga), Mrs Kadibone Nkomombini (Northern Cape), Mrs Mosela Matome (North West) and Mr Petrus Meyer (Western Cape).
"We are excited about the opportunity we have been afforded by Parliament to come to participate at this first State of the Nation Address of the fifth Parliament. We have been waiting patiently for our turn to come and perform an item for our President." said the leader of the Makhaza's Buyelekhaya Group, Ms Vuyokazi Sihele.
Ms Mokgesi Mokoeme who is the leader of North West Province's Gaabomotho Cultural Village Dance Group also praised the fifth Parliament for affording all South Africans, including historically disadvantaged cultural groups, to take part in programmes such as the State of the Nation Address.
"I had a wrong impression about access to Parliament before, thinking that perhaps participation in Parliament was for a learned category of people. But when I called (Parliament's Spokesperson) Mr Luzuko Jacobs enquiring about the criterion for participation I was shocked when he explained it and discovered how simple it was. As a result after following what we were required to do, we were invited to come to participate," said Ms Mokoeme.
Mava Lukani
18 June 2014
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