|
The World Cup is expected to be on
President Zuma's lips in his State of the Nation address, which will celebrate national
unity and reconciliation.
JOBURG'S readiness for the much-awaited
2010 FIFA World Cup™ is expected to be highlighted in President Jacob Zuma's
second State of the Nation address.
Joburg has done much work upgrading the precincts around the football stadiuims
Zuma will deliver his annual address in parliament
on Thursday, 11 February at 7pm. It will air on SABC television and radio and
will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from
prison in 1990.
This year, the president will deliver his speech
in the evening - an unfamiliar timeslot for South Africa - "to afford all South
Africans, especially the workers, students and schoolchildren an opportunity to
watch the proceedings in their homes after hours", says the presidential
spokesman, Vincent Magwenya.
The speech will celebrate national unity
and reconciliation "especially during a seminal year for the country in which
South Africa hosts the FIFA [football] World Cup". It will also mark the
opening of parliament, always a glitzy and glamorous affair.
Zuma's speech is expected to reflect on the
government's performance over the past year, and to outline its plans for this
year, which include preparations for the football tournament. He is also expected
to give assurance that South Africa is ready and determined to deliver Africa's
first and the best-ever World Cup, come June.
Maiden speech
In his maiden State of the Nation address, on 3 June 2009, Zuma told a joint
sitting of parliament that preparations for South Africa to host Africa's first
FIFA World Cup were on track. He noted that it was one of the government's
principal infrastructure investment projects.
The month-long football showpiece - from 11
June to 11 July - was an investment that would accelerate the upgrading of
infrastructure and build a long-lasting legacy that would outlive the actual
event.
Joburg has already announced its readiness
to host the tournament and is well ahead in initiating and pioneering various legacy projects. Among
them is the Greening of Soweto, which includes planting 200 000 trees in
the southern part of the metro and the greening of football fields. A theatre
will also be built in the
township, in Jabulani.
There are several other legacy projects.
The City's Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system runs regular buses from the CBD to Soweto
Zuma's government must ensure that the 17
guarantees made to FIFA are put into effect, all of which are prerequisites for
any country to host a FIFA World Cup.
The city of gold has already done its bit: match
venues
are upgraded and ready;
there is safety and security
around match precincts and free access to the city;
there are adequate health care services and facilities;
there is a concrete financial environment;
there is a reliable public transport system;
infrastructure
can cope with the volume of people expected;
Joburg itself can deal with the influx of visitors;
and high-tech telecommunications
for the international media are established.
Joburg's role
Johannesburg is a key host city of the football showpiece and will play a
pivotal role in ensuring that it is successful. The opening and closing
ceremonies and several group stage matches will be hosted here. In all, 15 of
the 64 matches will be played in Johannesburg - 10 matches in the group stages,
two Round of 16 matches, two quarterfinals and the finals. Many of its stadiums
have been earmarked as training venues.
Zuma's speech is also expected to reflect
on the government's key priorities, including overhauling the country's
decrepit health and volatile education system, giving rural development precedence,
reforming land, combating crime and speeding up economic growth through the
creation of decent and sustainable jobs.
Over 400 members of the public, including
members of civil society groups, business, NGOs, religious bodies and the like,
have been invited to sit in the public gallery. Various ministers, leaders of
political parties, former presidents, the chief justice of the Constitutional Court,
members of the judiciary, the governor of the Reserve Bank, ambassadors and diplomats
will also attend.
Mandela release
South Africa's achievements since the release of Mandela from Victor Verster
prison some 20 years ago are also expected to be noted. Mandela's release set the
country on a democratic path and changed its politics forever. His freedom signalled
a new dawn for what was a tumultuous country plagued by violence. Racial segregation
policies enforced for over four decades were overturned.
The opening of parliament will be marked by a military parade
"This particular [State of the Nation] is a
celebration of Mandela's legacy, which exemplifies the principles of
forgiveness, humility, good governance, tolerance, equality and a collective
effort to ease the burden of poverty and social ills. The day will bring all
South Africans together to mark the defining moment in the history of the
country," says Magwenya.
It will be delivered to a joint sitting of
the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, and will mark the
opening of parliament for the year; it is Zuma's address to the nation in his
capacity as head of state. The evening will be a colourful affair, preceded by
a procession of the nine premiers, Speakers of legislatures and the judge presidents,
followed by the deputy president and the president. There will be a military
parade and red-carpet reception for members of parliament, a 21-gun salute by
the South African National Defence Force, the national anthem will be played by
the Navy Band and SAA jets will fly past.
The procession to the National Assembly
chamber, where the speech will be delivered, will be lead by an imbongi or
praise singer. Zuma is the third democratically elected president of the
republic.
The state of the nation address is an
annual event in the parliamentary and political calendar, serving as a platform
for the president to address ordinary citizens and parliamentarians about the
state of the country and the government's plans.
Related stories:
|
