President Zuma respects right of MPs to ask questions
14 February 2015
President Jacob Zuma respects the right of Members of Parliament to ask questions and make the Executive account, but this should be done in terms of the rules of engagement that exist in Parliament.
President Zuma convened a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly, (NA) and the National Council of Provinces, (NCOP), on 12 February 2015, in order to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament. This was done in terms of section 84(2)(d) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, read with Rule 7(1)(a) of the Joint Rules of Parliament.
The Joint Sitting is chaired by the Presiding Officers of both the NA and the NCOP.
The event was specifically aimed at the delivery of the SONA. Members of Parliament debate the speech afterwards, in this case on 17-18 February 2015, after which the President responds.