Independent Newspapers

Former president Thabo Mbeki. Photo: Masi Losi

While the families of all the ANC’s former presidents have been invited to President Jacob Zuma’s fourth State of the Nation address on Thursday,, his predecessor Thabo Mbeki will not be there.

He was leading a high-level AU implementation panel on Sudan and would be conducting negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan in Addis Ababa, Parliament said. He had confirmed his attendance, but on Tuesday his office informed Parliament that the dates – February 9 to 14 – for the negotiations had been confirmed only on Tuesday.

The State of the Nation address essentially allows the president to communicate the progress the government has made in its key areas of focus, and also sets the tone for the political year ahead.

While Zuma’s spokesman said on Tuesday that the president was still working on his speech, Speaker of the National Assembly Max Sisulu shared his thoughts on what he expected to hear.

If he is right, then people should prepare for a repeat of Zuma's focus in his address last year: job creation.

“Jobs. Job creation and the growth of the economy,” said Sisulu.

This year’s parliamentary theme was the knowledge economy and development opportunities.

Sisulu explained this was inspired by SA’s bid to become the host site of the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest radio telescope. SA, with the support of eight other African countries, is competing with Australia to be the host country. The outcome is expected in April. - Political Bureau