Parliament faces SONA disruption

The EFF was forcibly removed from Parliament. File photo: Rodger Bosch/EPA

The EFF was forcibly removed from Parliament. File photo: Rodger Bosch/EPA

Published Feb 8, 2016

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Cape Town - Parliament faces lockdown this week in anticipation of trouble from the streets and inside the National Assembly, where President Jacob Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation address (SONA).

Key state agencies are preparing for a showdown between civil society and Zuma on the one hand, and Zuma and opposition parties on the other.

The State of the Nation address has become a central rallying point for the EFF to take on Zuma.

The DA, EFF and civil society will use the occasion to voice their displeasure at Zuma’s leadership and decisions.

EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema has already said Zuma will not deliver the address unless he has explained his reasons for axing Nhlanhla Nene as Finance minister in December.

David Maynier, of the DA, said Zuma would have a tough time in Parliament over the Nene debacle.

The #ZumaMustFall movement has also promised to descend on the City this Thursday.

It launched its first marches last December, and will have another one during the State of the Nation address.

Parliament has been planning for the address for months and it has promised that security agencies will be conducting their business.

The police are expected to deploy hundreds of officers in anticipation of the marches and the chaos inside the National Assembly.

A lockdown is expected in the parliamentary precinct to prevent the situation from mirroring October’s events, when students invaded Parliament.

But the trouble could come from inside the Chamber.

Zuma has not had it easy against the EFF in the last two years, since the party’s arrival in Parliament in June 2014.

Parliament has tightened security measures by training more protection officers and recruiting former officers to join its security department.

The former officers have been used several times in the last few months to throw out disruptive EFF members.

Outside Parliament, more officers are expected to be deployed as there are three marches planned.

Like last year, the DA is set to once again march during the State of the Nation address.

The Ses’Khona People’s Rights Movement is also expected to take to the streets to voice its displeasure.

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