Pretoria - Cabinet on Thursday expressed concern at the disorderly behaviour displayed during the opening of Parliament last week when President Jacob Zuma delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Cabinet was concerned about the disorderly behaviour displayed at the opening of Parliament which not only infringes on the rights of others in Parliament, but on the rights of all South Africans,” Cabinet said on Thursday.
Chaos erupted during the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament, the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces, preventing President Zuma from delivering the SONA for over an hour.
“Parliament is one of South Africa’s founding democratic institutions, established by the Constitution to uphold the Bill of Rights and account to the people of South Africa – all of whom have entrusted us with the responsibility of leading them towards a better life.
“Members of Parliament, as representatives of the people must put the interests of all South Africans first and reassert the role of this important institution,” said Cabinet following its meeting on Thursday.
The 2017 SONA was delivered within the context of the current strides made by government to respond to the various challenges that South Africa country is facing. – SAnews.gov.za
