President Cyril Ramaphosa after taking his oath of office for a second term as President of South Africa. Photo: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa has chosen Mandela Day for the official opening of the seventh parliament.
The President has confirmed with National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane that 18 July will be the day he gives the Opening Parliamentary Address.
The joint sitting of the two houses will be held at Cape Town City Hall with preparations for the event now underway.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 64/13 on 10 November 2009 declaring the late statesman’s birthday as International Nelson Mandela Day.
“The Opening of Parliament (OPA) on this day is a fitting tribute as it calls on individuals and communities to take time to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact on communities and globally,” stated The Presidency.
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Despite the Government of National Unity (GNU) taking longer to finalise than the average South African may have expected, many will expect the cabinet to be finalised long before the day of remembrance.
Parliament stressed that the OPA serves a distinct function that is separate from the annual State of the Nation Address (Sona).
“The OPA occurs once every five years after national and provincial elections and provides a platform for the newly elected State President to articulate the vision and priorities of the new administration,” stated Parliament on X.
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The OPA also marks the official opening and start of the new five-year term of Parliament. It is essential to avoid confusing or equating the OPA and SONA, referring to them interchangeably, or labelling the OPA as a “second SONA”, it added.
The African National Congress, Democratic Alliance and their GNU partners are attempting to solve a puzzle in a fraction of the time it has taken other nations.
According to a social media post shared by the South African Airways board chairperson Derek Hannekom, it took Portugal 98 days and Belgium 541 days to form a coalition government.
Germany took 161 days, Spain 126 days and Greece 104 days to form a coalition.
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