In a surprising turn of events, former South African President Jacob Zuma will not be attending the State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year, marking what would have been his first appearance at the annual event since President Cyril Ramaphosa took office.

The reason for his absence, however, has sparked some debate.

Legal Battles Prevent Zuma from Attending

Mzwanele Manyi, leader of the MK Party, provided clarification on Zuma’s situation, explaining that ongoing legal battles have kept him from participating in the event.

According to Manyi, the judiciary has played a key role in preventing Zuma from attending the SONA.

“Judiciary has ensured that President Zuma is not here,” Manyi stated.

He further emphasized that Zuma had been given two significant court appointments that prevented him from attending, one in Pietermaritzburg related to the “fake” arms case, and another to address the Constitutional Court judgment concerning Ramaphosa’s accountability.

Court Dates Set Long in Advance

While Manyi’s comments suggest that the dates for Zuma’s court appearances may have been a recent development, the court dates had actually been scheduled months in advance.

Zuma appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday, where he sought permission to appeal a previous ruling in his arms deal corruption case.

Manyi insisted that the judicial system was intentionally keeping Zuma tied up, ultimately blocking his attendance at the address.

He questioned the reasoning behind the court’s refusal to allow Zuma to attend SONA 2025.

Low Expectations for SONA 2025

Ahead of the address, MK Party portfolio committee member Saira Abader voiced skepticism about any meaningful outcomes.

“I have no expectations because we are going to hear the same things that we have heard over the past thirty years, and it’s just lies,” she said.

Zuma’s absence and the disappointment surrounding the SONA address continue to stir public debate.

Many are left wondering if Zuma’s legal troubles are the real reason for his absence or if political motives play a role in the situation.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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