Fast Facts: the February 2014 State of the Nation Address

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WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS?

  • The State of the Nation Address is an annual address by the President to Parliament, as the representative of the people, on the state of the South African nation.
  • The President delivers the State of the Nation Address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament - the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. The Speaker of the National Assembly is Mr Max Sisulu, MP and the Deputy Speaker is Ms NomaIndia Mfeketo, MP. The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces is Mr Mninwa Mahlangu, MP, and the Deputy Chairperson is Ms Thandi Memela, MP.
  • Usually, the State of the Nation Address is an annual ceremony of state. However, in a year when there are national and provincial elections, as is the case in 2014, there are two addresses - one before the elections and another one after the elections and the establishment of the new Parliament - the fifth democratic Parliament.
  • The State of the Nation address is one of the rare occasions when all three arms of the state - the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature - come together in one place.
  • The State of the Nation Address is  a state occasion and it is a key event on our country's Parliamentary and political calendar.
  • The President addresses the nation in his capacity as Head of State - not only as Head of Government.
  • The State of the Nation Address is called by the President, through the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, when the President writes to them to request a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.

 FORMAT OF THE CEREMONY

  • The State of the Nation Address on 13 February 2014 is a full ceremonial one involving a mounted police escort and a military ceremonial motor escort, the lining of the President's route to Parliament by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), a red carpet at Parliament (from the Slave Lodge to the National Assembly Chamber building), cultural performances along the route, a praise singer at the entrance to the National Assembly Chamber, a national salute by the Ceremonial Guard of the SANDF, a military band, a salute flight by the South African Air Force and a 21-gun salute. It also includes civilian participation along the walk by the President, accompanied by Parliament's Presiding Officers and the Secretary to Parliament, from the Slave Lodge to the saluting dais in front of the National Assembly building.
  • With the dawn of democracy in 1994, Parliament's doors opened to all and the State of the Nation Address became a celebration of our nation, with public participation added to the State's ceremonial activities. This is former President Nelson Mandela's legacy to our State of the Nation Address proceedings.
  • Members of the public take part in the ceremony at Parliament through a Junior Guard of Honour (comprising school learners and also, on 13 February, Girl Guides), a Civil Guard of Honour (comprising representatives of civil society organisations - this February drawn from volunteer organisations) and Eminent Persons (nominated by Provincial Speakers from all nine provinces and selected in recognition of their contribution to community development).
  • Cultural groups, chosen on a rotational basis and in keeping with the theme for the State of the Nation Address, perform along the President's route from the Slave Lodge to the National Assembly.
  • A praise singer leads the President into the National Assembly Chamber.

 WHO ATTENDS?

  • Parliament and the Presidency have invited a wide range of people to be present to witness the President deliver his State of the Nation Address. Guests include former Presidents, former Deputy Presidents, former Presiding Officers of Parliament's two Houses, the Judiciary and South Africans from various walks of life. Foreign dignitaries, such as, Heads of International Organisations and the Diplomatic Corps, as representatives of their countries, also attend.
  • Current Cabinet Ministers and Heads of Government Departments and current Members of Parliament attend as part of their duties and/or as public representatives.
  • President Jacob Zuma's spouses will also be present in the National Assembly Chamber and one of the spouses will accompany the President in the procession from the Slave Lodge.
  • Members of the public who take part in the ceremony at Parliament through the Junior and Civil Guards of Honour, the Eminent Persons from all provinces. Some members of the public selected through a radio competition will also attend. Details of the radio competition will be communicated later.

WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE:

Presidential procession to the National Assembly Chamber

The ceremony, which starts at the Slave Lodge, just outside the entrance to the Parliamentary precinct, is a combination of public participation and a formal state ceremony.

The public participation part of the procession is important because Parliament strives to make the institution accessible to people and to facilitate public involvement in the lawmaking and other processes of Parliament. It was President Nelson Mandela who introduced the public participation element of the ceremony.

From the entrance to the Parliamentary precinct, members of the South African public line the red carpet. They are a Junior Guard of Honour (from the entrance of Parliamentary precinct to the end of the National Council of Provinces building), a Civil Guard of Honour and nine Eminent Persons line the route after this until the end of the Old Assembly Wing.

From the end of the Old Assembly building, the procession becomes part of a formal, state ceremony.

A Ceremonial Military Guard of Honour take up positions in front of the National Assembly building and a military band - the Navy Band in February 2014 - sets up to the right of the building (the side nearest Tuynhuys) and plays the national anthem. There is a 21-gun salute and an air force fly-past while the President takes the national salute from a special dais in front of the National Assembly building.

Red carpet

Rolling out a red carpet was originally reserved for kings and queens and signified a welcome of great hospitality and ceremony. Over time, the red carpet was also used to welcome Heads of State.

The 21-gun salute

The tradition of bestowing a salute by firing cannon originated in the 14th century when cannon and firearms came into use. In 1842, the 21-gun salute became the international norm for the highest honour a nation rendered and it is fired in honour of the Head of State, the national flag, the Head of State of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family and a former Head of State.

MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

The State of the Nation Address will be streamed live on the Parliament website (www.parliament.gov.za), broadcast live on television and radio, screened on big screens in all provinces and published on Parliament's social media platforms.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE RSA