Former President and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma will not be attending the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Jacob Zuma set to miss out on another SONA
This was confirmed by MK Party spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi, who claimed that Zuma’s absence was orchestrated by the country’s leadership.
“The people that run South Africa have orchestrated that he should not be here. It was public info that there will be a fake SONA today. Judiciary must have known this but despite them knowing this, they wanted him in court in Pietermaritzburg today. So, indeed. The system that hates President Zuma ensured that he must not be here to listen to the fake address,” Manyi stated.
Zuma was scheduled to appear in the Pietermaritzburg High Court today for his case against Billy Downer, the lead prosecutor in his long-running corruption trial.
The MK Party has implied that his court appearance was deliberately set on the same day as SONA, preventing him from attending the national event.
This marks yet another absence for Zuma, who has not attended a SAONA since stepping down as President in 2018.
His continued boycott contrasts with other former presidents, including Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, who are confirmed to be in attendance.
Zuma’s history with SONA boycotts
Zuma’s absence from SONA is not unprecedented.
Since his resignation in February 2018, he has repeatedly chosen not to attend the address delivered by his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Zuma’s relationship with SONA has long been contentious. While in office, his speeches were frequently disrupted by opposition parties, notably the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who called for him to step down amid corruption allegations.
Some of these disruptions led to chaotic scenes in Parliament, resulting in the ejection of EFF MPs by security personnel.
With his recent alignment with the MK Party and ongoing legal battles, Zuma’s absence from SONA 2025 continues his pattern of disengagement from the event.
His party’s stance suggests that they view the address as lacking legitimacy, referring to it as a “fake SONA.”
Meanwhile, SONA 2025 is set to take place at Cape Town City Hall, with President Ramaphosa addressing the nation at 19:00.
The event will proceed with its traditional ceremonial aspects, including a 21-gun salute, a military procession, and an aircraft fly-past.
Nearly 2,000 guests from various sectors are expected to be in attendance.
