CATCH IT LIVE: President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers Sona

June 19, 2019
South Africa's newly-minted president Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the National address at the Parliament in Cape Town, on February 16, 2018. - The State of the Nation address is an annual mix of political pageantry and policy announcements, but the flagship event was postponed last week as Zuma battled to stay in office. (Photo by Ruvan BOSHOFF / POOL / AFP)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his State of the Nations Address on Thursday evening, South Africans are eager to hear how the reversing economy can be tackled.

Sona is an annual event in parliament’s calendar where the president makes a speech to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.

The event also grants the executive an opportunity to account to Parliament and the South African public.

Ramaphosa’s speech will be preceded by a red-carpet event where MPs, ministers and prominent South Africans will show off their fashionable attires.

A procession of premiers, provincial legislature speakers and the Judiciary will walk to the National Assembly chamber on Thursday.

Former Presidents of the country and former presiding officers of Parliament also walk the red carpet in front of the National Assembly building.

Parliament has also announced that it will slash the budget for this year’s Sona event.

Ramaphosa is expected to touch on a wide range of issues in his address.

He says he sees this is an opportunity to build a South Africa that every citizen deserves.