SONA Changes Location After Parliament Fire, Cape Town City Hall Named New Venue

• The State of the Nation Address will be held at Cape Town City Hall this year following a fire at Parliament
• The City Council Chambers and Cape Town International Convention Centre were also considered as potential SONA venues
• The address will take place on 11 February 2022, 32 years after former president Nelson Mandela delivered his speech after being arrested from prison

CAPE TOWN - The State of the Nation Address (SONA), which is held annually at Parliament, will take place at Cape Town City Hall as the National Assembly will not be repaired in time for the event.

Earlier today (7 January), parliamentary officers met to discuss how SONA can go ahead after the fire at Parliament on 2 January. They came to the conclusion that City Hall is an appropriate venue to relocate the event to.

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City of Cape Town Fire Services release Parliament fire report along with previous pre-SONA inspection reports

The officers added that they believe that Parliament's work is of utmost importance and that nothing must stand in the way of them achieving their objectives, which includes SONA.

The importance of not postponing SONA 2022

The Presiding Officers thanked the City of Cape Town and the provincial government for providing an alternative venue for SONA.

The City Council Chambers and Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) were also offered as potential SONA venues, News24 reports. They added that City Hall has a rich history, which makes it a fitting venue for SONA.

According to BusinessTech, the officers said that they are drawing on the legacy of former president Nelson Mandela's speech at City Hall following his release from prison in 1990. SONA will be held on 11 February, which is the 32nd anniversary of Mandela's speech.

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Reactions to SONA venue change

@MolumoTshepo remarked:

"I'm not surprised."

@Maps_pj shared:

@Pixton_Deep asked:

"Why not use Provincial Legislatures?"

@PetersWonderboy said:

@_Zukoh_ remarked:

"They can't help themselves shame, the DA must be proud."

City of Cape Town Fire Services release Parliament fire report along with previous pre-SONA inspection reports

Speaking of the Parliament fire, Briefly News recently reported that the City of Cape Town's Fire Department has released a report following the fire at the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Mayor of Cape Town, said that the report strived to be as transparent and objective as possible.

The report, which has been submitted to the Speaker of Parliament for comment, states that it is not extensive but rather consists of observations by those firefighters who help to extinguish the blaze.

Source: Briefly News