National Assembly Speaker Urges South Africans To Watch Ramaphosa's OPA

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on Wednesday encouraged South Africans to watch the Opening of Parliament Address (OPA) to understand how their vote will be used in the next five years of the seventh administration.

Didiza said this during a pre-OPA walk at the Parliamentary Precinct in Cape Town City Hall, where President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his anticipated address on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

"It is important to listen in so that we can hear how our vote is going to be used to fulfill the needs and aspirations that we have for the country. The people are waiting to hear from the government and how it will serve them," she said, SA News reported.

The National Assembly Speaker added, "After the vote, there was a Government of National Unity formed and people would want to know how that is going to work. That's what we will hear tomorrow."

Didiza highlighted that the current government involves multiple parties, not just one, and emphasized the importance of understanding how these parties will collaborate and what they plan to achieve for the country in the coming years.

The OPA offers insight into the government's goals for the next five years, serving as a reference point for South Africans to evaluate government actions, according to the National Assembly Speaker.

She clarified the distinction between the State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the OPA.

Didiza explained that after elections, the President addresses Parliament to outline the administration's agenda for the next five years during the OPA. During SONA, the President focuses on the plans for the upcoming year and reviews achievements from the previous year.

Following SONA, the Minister of Finance details how these plans will be funded. Didiza emphasized that the President sets the direction for the next five years at the start of each administration.

"The official proceedings begin when the President of the Republic arrives. At the moment, the military choir will perform the national anthem, timed to coincide with the display of the 21-gun salute and an aircraft flyover and salute, highlighting the patriotic spirit of the event," she added.

The OPA will commence on the same day when the country and the world commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day.