Watch: Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address for 2016
President Jacob Zuma is set to deliver his toughest State of the Nation Address this evening, with political, social and economic odds stacked against him.
The president faces the hellish task of painting a pretty picture of South Africa amid endemic corruption in government, crawling economic growth, high levels of unemployment and a waning support base.
Aside from the eyes of all of South Africa, the address will be watched closely by local investors hoping for a sign that the country can stave off a credit rating downgrade to “junk status”.
So far, a few scuffles have broken out, with the SAPS being forced to fire stun grenades at EFF protesters.
While most Members of Parliament treated the State of the Nation Address as a formal affair, the EFF made a grand entrance into the House as they sang and clapped.
The group, dressed in red overalls, stopped singing and instead cheered loudly for the judiciary arriving, headed by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
Earlier this week, EFF leaders were amongst those who took Zuma to that same judiciary, questioning in the Constitutional Court when he would pay back the taxpayer funds used towards upgrades at his Nkandla homestead.
Zuma has since conceded that he will pay back the money.
Meanwhile, Western Cape leader Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance made her way into Parliament along with other Premiers.
You can watch the address below, courtesy of the SABC’s live feed, or at these links:
SONA 2016 will be live streamed through a number of online channels, including:
With News24
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