It’s the people’s parly again

There may have been standard issue snipers on parliament’s roof, but the State of the Nation address (Sona) by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night was unlike many in recent history.

This time, invited guests, ministers and ambassadors shimmered up the red carpet ahead of the address in comparative peace.

This time there were no ANC versus DA/EFF camps pumping grand oratory from travelling stages, or barriers and edgy policemen.

This time, there were no crowds gathered hoping to witness a fight between the two camps.

This time, the president made it into parliament without slurs being hurled at him as he drove by crowds lining the street.

Even parliamentary combatants the EFF made it through the event without leaving blood smeared on the walls, which happened last year when they were forcibly ejected by riot police.

Diminishing the stark divide between the desperate poor sleeping on the pavement outside parliament and the swishy gowns on the red carpet will be one of Ramaphosa’s biggest challenges in a country with massive unemployment.

The large bill for free education foisted on the fiscus as one of former president Jacob Zuma’s final acts will be another headache.

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said Zuma had been invited to the Sona, but he was not there.

“In all fairness, he only received his invitation on Thursday, which was a last-minute invitation due to the circumstances we all know of,” said Mothapo.

Ramaphosa said he had met Zuma and the latter wished him well for his first Sona speech.

Former president Thabo Mbeki and former deputy president FW de Klerk were there, as were former speakers of parliament Frene Ginwala and Max Sisulu.

Relative calm prevailed outside parliament.

Mothapo said the presiding officers’ view was it was because it was a “people’s parliament” again. “It’s a very positive mood. Everyone is optimistic and expectant.”

Summing up the mood as Ramaphosa walked in to loud applause in parliament, China Global Television Network correspondent René Del Carme said: “Cyril as president is like having a little piece of Madiba.”

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