Public Participation in a people’s Parliament
Parliament`s constitutional mandate stipulates that it should communicate its work to all citizens as broadly as it can. This is to advance one of its constitutional obligations of “build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for the people of South Africa”. It is from this pronunciation that Parliament’s commitment towards a people’s Parliament and the declaration of the Fifth Parliament as an “Activist Parliament”

Why is Parliament central to the delivery of the Address?
Parliament is an institution with unique significance in the political history of the people of this country. This democratic Parliament is esteemed for its profound influence on the development of South Africa’s participatory democracy, founded on the strength of its Constitution, which is recognised worldwide for its commitment to human rights, regardless of race, religion or culture. Parliament has a central role to play in our national life and has, since its inception in 1994, been considered a treasure around the world for the way it exemplifies constitutional democracy and its unequivocal entrenchment of the culture of the respective and private rights of individuals and civil society. The constitutional principle of the separation of powers remains an inspiration to many across the globe. SONA takes place before the two Houses of Parliament because these institutions are charged with ensuring that all the work that flows from this address becomes a lived reality. As such, SONA is a social pact that informs the service delivery commitments of the national, provincial and local spheres of government for the coming financial year. It also is a guide for the annual performance plans of government departments at all levels of government.

SONA is South Africa’s map for the year ahead. It alerts us to obstacles and plans how to avoid them.
SONA also has an influence on how laws are made and must ensure that they live up to the letter and spirit of SONA-identified priorities. To this end, departments appear before Parliament to determine whether the legislative prescripts that govern their mandates are in line with priorities articulated during SONA. Sometimes laws are amended or repealed to be in line with these priorities. If a need arises, Parliament will, through its committees, embark on public hearings to garner public opinion and participation on the formulation of legislation, and then amend or repeal it in accordance with its legislative mandate.

Debates that follow the Address
After the State of the Nation Address (SONA), all the political parties at Parliament hold a debate to reflect, make comments and raise questions on matters raised by the President during SONA. This debate often takes the form of a Joint Sitting of Parliament before the representatives of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.