SONA Preview

It may not be a red carpet affair at this year’s State of the Union address as South Africa’s parliament has announced that it has cut the budget for SONA 2019 by 47% from last year. Parliament emphasised that the legislature is taking every feasible step to do more with fewer resources, and that means less glitz for the important political event. Meanwhile President Cyril Ramaphosa is putting his final touches to his much awaited speech. Ramaphosa’s predecessor faced a lot of disruptions during his SONA’s so today we are yet to see if Ramaphosa will be subjected to the same?To help us unpack the discussion we are joined in studio by:• Professor Samantha Ashman, is an associate professor at the School of Economics at the University of Johannesburg • Dr Ivor Sarakinsky, is an associate professor at the Wits School of Governance • Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast is a political analyst with Stellenbosch University’s school of security and African studies