<\/p>\n
Cape Town – National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Wednesday she did not have sleepless nights over the threats by the EFF to disrupt the State of the Nation address on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not having sleepless nights. This being that we have rules,\u201d Mapisa-Nqakula said.<\/p>\n
Mapisa-Nqakula made the comments during an impromptu interview when she and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo inspected the Cape Town City Hall, which will host the Sona.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have all taken oath to the constitution of the Republic of South Africa and once you take that oath, you are also committing yourself to the rules developed by those before you and adopted by Parliament.<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, as MP, all of us without exception, we have an obligation, one, firstly to obey the rules of parliament, to obey the laws of the republic but also allow the presiding officers to provide guidance, including rulings.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes the rules may not be comfortable as we steer Parliament but you still have to listen to what the presiding officers have to say and accept that the ruling has been made,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, EFF leader Julius Malema said the party would show President Cyril Ramaphosa what it was made of.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will never be addressed by a constitutional delinquent. The courts can protect him anyhow but who will protect him in Parliament, and there is no court that will protect him,\u201d Malema said at an EFF event.<\/p>\n
Mapisa-Nqakula said she had heard about the EFF threats.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to entertain this notion of people who are threatening Sona. Sona will proceed and I can assure you that it will be successful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever we just need to have an understanding amongst one another that we are adults and that we serve the people of South Africa and whatever we do inside this House, the people of South Africa as voters who put us here are watching.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be patient with one another. There has to be mutual respect for one another and we have to listen to one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
She insisted that she and Masondo did not have sleepless nights at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, you worry now and then because people have surprises,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Asked how she would handle the EFF legislators should they disrupt Sona, Mapisa-Nqakula said the speech was a very unique opportunity for the arms of state to be under the same roof and for the president to address the nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a once-off occasion you have in a calendar of any country where the president interacts with Parliament, actually takes Parliament, the country and the nation through the entire programme of government, reflects on achievements of the government in the previous year and actually talks to us (about) how he sees the future of the county,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Speaker also said South Africans may have challenges and people were dissatisfied about this and that, but the Sona was supposed to be a solemn occasion where the president addressed the nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is not addressing the EFF. He is not addressing the ANC. He is not addressing the MPs only,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will be talking to the nation, the people who voted him into power and will give feedback about how things have been moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mapisa-Nqakula expressed satisfaction with the preparations and security measures at the city hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also happy with the sitting arrangements. We think the manner in which, I want to say with regards to the front seats allocation, is a true reflection of different constituencies and parties,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all system go as far as we are concerned. We are looking forward to tomorrow (Thursday). It\u2019s a big day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cape Times<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cape Town – National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Wednesday she did not have sleepless nights over the threats by the EFF to disrupt the State of the Nation address on Thursday evening. \u201cI am not having sleepless nights. This being that we have rules,\u201d Mapisa-Nqakula said. Mapisa-Nqakula made the comments during an impromptu […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[9824,3807,12277,4986,7486,446,7165],"class_list":["post-168016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-politics","tag-disrupt","tag-eff","tag-mapisanqakula","tag-nights","tag-sleepless","tag-sona","tag-threat"],"yoast_head":"\n