Cape Town - Security could be heightened in Parliament during next week’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the institution that outlines security plans acts on the EFF’s threats to disrupt the sitting.
While the briefing is an annual event, where presiding officers lay out plans for the SONA, this year’s event has forced Parliament to discuss security arrangements.
On Thursday, national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega said on the sidelines of the meeting of the portfolio committee on police that security was a priority for all stakeholders for a smooth SONA.
Phiyega said the SAPS was talking to all relevant role players about security.
Asked whether police would be increased inside and outside the parliamentary precinct during the SONA next Thursday, Phiyega declined to comment.
She also did not reveal whether there could be police on standby in case chaos broke out inside the chamber.
Phiyega reiterated that the SAPS was working with all stakeholders for an incident-free event.
“The State of the Nation is very important, and at the end of the day, the State of the Nation has to take place,” said Phiyega.
Spokesman for Parliament Luzuko Jacobs also did not want to discuss security details on Monday.
He said that would be done at a briefing on Tuesday.
Parliament has been criticised in the past for using the police to enter the chamber when opposition MPs refused to leave the House on the instruction of the Speaker.
Late last year, there were two incidents in which scuffles broke out between opposition MPs and the police.
Ministers in the security cluster had said at the time that they needed to protect the institution and members who were not causing chaos.
The briefing on Tuesday would give an insight into how Parliament planned to handle any eventuality.
In the past, presiding officers briefed members of the media about the business of the day, including the theme for the year, invited guests, performances as well as other social events about the SONA.
It is unprecedented in a democratic Parliament that the top leaders in the House would have to lay out security plans amid fears of disruption by an opposition party.
The EFF had demanded that Speaker Baleka Mbete convene a special sitting before the SONA for President Jacob Zuma to answer questions.
But Mbete turned down the request, leading to the EFF threatening to disrupt the proceedings if Zuma did not respond to questions about when he would pay back some of the money spent on his Nkandla homestead.
The president told the nation two weeks ago that he would be available for oral replies on March 11.
The threat of the EFF, however, remained after the party said it wanted answers and would not wait for next month.
Other opposition parties have distanced themselves from the threat, saying the SONA was a special occasion.
The briefing of the presiding officers comes at a time when the rules committee will meet on Tuesday to finalise new rules for the chamber, including security during sittings.
The subcommittee on rules adopted a raft of revised rules last week.
Political Bureau