It is absolutely shocking; the deployment of more than 400 soldiers to the State of the Nation Address

8 February 2017

Congress of the People can only describe the deployment of more than 400 soldiers to parliament for the State of the Nation address as absolutely shocking and frightening. According to the Presidency this is to assist maintain ‘law and order’.

Mr Jacob Zuma is adding salt in to the wound of the already draconian and immoral security measures announced by the Secretary to Parliament. These kind of measures are only to be installed when a state of emergency is declared or in a war situation. We are not at war in this country.

It is completely horrible to have Heavily-Armed Soldiers, Personal Guards, Police and Intelligence Operatives defending and protecting a discredited and disgraceful President who has broken his Oath of Office. Zuma can never expect peace and respect in Parliament for as long as he does not respect the Constitution of this country and accepts that he is not above the law.

COPE wants to assure Mr Zuma that no amount of security forces will ever force us to sit under one roof and listen to an individual who has brought the dignity of a once respected Parliament Chamber down to nothing else but a house of shame.

Zuma must not blame anybody for any disruption during the proceedings of his State of the Nation address. We will hold Zuma accountable for any loss of lives. Soldiers are trained to kill and not to keep law and order. Ends!

Issued by Dennis Bloem, COPE Spokesperson, 8 February 2017