In a new turn of events, former president Jacob Zuma has seemingly bowed out of what would have been his first State of the Nation Address since President Cyril Ramaphosa came into power in South Africa.
Interestingly, MK Party MP Mzwanele Manyi clarified that MK Party leader Zuma has been tied up in legal battles and, as a result, is unable to attend the proceedings on Thursday evening.
Zuma has been refused attendance. Manyi
Speaking ahead of Ramaphosa’s SONA address, Manyi insisted that the South African judicial system has prevented Zuma from attending.
“Judiacry has ensured that president Zuma is not here. The 6th of February as a date for the ‘fake’ State of the Nation Address was long advertised, the judiciary has known this, but despite this, they’ve made two major appointments for him.
Manyi further explained that the court appearances had been set for today in defence of Zuma’s decision not to attend.
“One, in Pietermaritzburg for this ‘fake’ arms case and the other to go and attend to the Constitutional Court judgement because Ramaphosa can’t be held accountable. So, he is busy with the judiciary today, so he can’t be in two places at the same time”
Manyi was adamant that the judiciary had, ultimately, ensured that Zuma would not be able to participate in the address.
“He was expected to be here but the judiciary has refused that he should be here. Judiacry has got him tied up in all knots and if he is not in one of those (court appearances) that again becomes another issue. So, indeed, we must ask the judiciary why are they refusing President Zuma to be here?”
SONA, court dates set months in advance
Indeed, Zuma had appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday. The former president had sought leave to appeal a ruling that had dismissed his previous attempts to remove advocate Billy Downer from his arms deal corruption case.
Despite the insinuation that the date had been a surprise and had, in turn, effectively blocked Zuma from attending the SONA address, the dates had been set months in advance in May 2024.
“It’s all lies”: Expectations low for SONA 2025
Speaking ahead of the address, MK portfolio committee member Saira Abader highlighted that the party isn’t holding its breath for positive news.
“I have no expectations because we are going to hear the same things that we have heard over the past thirty years and it’s just lies.”
Do you agree with Manyi’s assertion that Zuma was blocked from attending SONA 2025?
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