Jacob Zuma will be sworn in for his second term as president at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday.
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About 4 500 foreign and local dignitaries are expected to attend, including Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, Botswana’s Ian Khama and Madagascar’s Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
The pomp and ceremony will include an air force flypast and a 21-gun salute. The army band will entertain guests at the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre from 5am, while the “cultural programme”, which is expected to include performances from Kurt Darren and DJ Vetkuk, starts at 8am.
The formal ceremony begins at 11am. Zuma will be sworn in by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, and is scheduled to announce his new Cabinet on Sunday. The inauguration will be attended by heads of state and government, deputy heads, and former heads from 47 countries, but no one from the United Kingdom, Europe, or America.
Also in attendance will be Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Magdalene Moonsamy. All EFF MPs have received invitations, but it is unclear if leader Julius Malema will attend.
‘Affected streets’
On Saturday, Stanza Bopape Street and Government Avenue will be a traffic-free zone. There will be traffic control points on Soutpansberg and Hamilton, Stanza Bopape and Hamilton, Stanza Bopape and Gordon, and Soutpansberg and Gordon roads. Road closures in Pretoria will include Government Boulevard, Steve Biko, WF Nkomo and Wessels streets. A public park-and-ride will be available at the Tshwane Events Centre from 6am, while normal bus routes and public transport routes will be diverted.
“Residents living in affected streets are asked to choose the shortest route or closest entry and exit points for access … Residents are required to produce recent municipal bills as part of proof of identity,” Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said.
“The inauguration lasts only a few hours and government kindly calls on residents in these areas to co-operate with authorities.”
Only 100 local and international journalists were accredited for the amphitheatre. More than 1 100 journalists applied for accreditation. – Sapa– Sapa