It’s all systems go for Ramaphosa’s speech to the nation

Her beanie is pulled down as far as the frayed cotton will allow over her ears, her threadbare jacket pulled tight across her slight frame with one hand, the other held out in front of her as she wanders from car to car seeking help.

She tarries not in the face of each rejection from motorists, her face blank. She’s heard it a million times before but she keeps on going, eking out a survival on Strand Street, Cape Town, a few blocks away from parliament’s gleaming buildings.

The nameless woman, who had disappeared by the afternoon, could probably care less about Speaker of Parliament Thandi Modise’s announcement that parliament was ready to host President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first State of the Nation Address (Sona) to the sixth democratic parliament.

A temporary shelter had been erected to defend VIP’s against the possibility of inclement weather while all the human detritus had been moved two streets down so as not to offend anyone’s eye.

“We have just completed our final inspection of the arrangements for tomorrow’s joint sitting at which President Ramaphosa will deliver the address and are satisfied that it’s all systems go,” Modise announced enthusiastically yesterday.

The Citizen also confirmed with former President Jacob Zuma’s spokesperson, Vukile Mathabela, that Zuma was in Cape Town yesterday and would be attending.

Modise noted 915 media accreditations had been approved, giving an indication of how much interest was being shown in South Africa’s sixth parliament.

“The ceremony has been scaled down because of financial considerations and the customary junior and civil guards of honour and nine eminent persons (one from each province) will not feature tomorrow,” Modise said.

The initial decision not to have an imbongi welcome Ramaphosa was being reconsidered after “concerns” – politician speak for national outrage – had been raised.

Other important guests include Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and his wife, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe together with their wives, and Dr Frene Ginwala, among others.

By the time guests start arriving at 5pm, the woman from Strand Street would probably still care less as she will probably have returned to catch the afternoon traffic, her face still pinched from hunger.

Ramaphosa is expected to start delivering his State of the Nation address at 7pm, barring any disruptions.

Maybe she, and the millions of other destitute people surviving on what little goodwill remains in an economy barely keeping its head above water, will hear Ramaphosa’s words on a radio somewhere and wonder, when will it be their turn to benefit from the grandiose promises which have littered previous Sonas.

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