Police have tightened security around Parliament ahead of Friday morning’s state of the nation address by President Thabo Mbeki. Also adding finishing touches, was the president himself, who was still finalising his speech in the early hours of Friday
morning.
SA Police Service members bearing torches were conducting early morning searches in the area at 6am, inspecting cars in the vicinity and waking up street people shielding from the rain under plastic sheets and cardboard.
Mbeki, who has made poverty alleviation a central focus of his government in 2003, is expected to focus on job creation and speeding up social delivery.
MPs and VIPs, including former president Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel, will begin gathering in Parliament from 9am and are expected to be seated by 10am an hour ahead of Mbeki’s address.
Thousands of Aids activists will march on Parliament on Friday morning in a bid to urge the government to implement a national Aids treatment plan by the end of February.
Before proceeding to Parliament, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), will hand over a memorandum to the United States Consulate General, asking the US government to allow poor countries to import generic medicines. – Sapa