Dumelang, molweni, goeie naand, good evening, sanibonani nonke emakhaya!

Siyavuya ukuba nani ngobubusuku bubaluleke kangaka.

I stand before you this evening, 20 years since President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela walked out of prison. We have chosen this as the day to call this Joint Sitting of Parliament to deliver the State of the Nation Address, to celebrate a watershed moment that changed our country. The release of Madiba was brought about by the resolute struggles of the South African people. You will recall that the masses of this country, in their different formations, responded with determination to the call to make the country ungovernable and apartheid unworkable. We are celebrating this day with former political prisoners who we have specially invited to join us. We welcome in particular those who have travelled from abroad to be here, Helene Pastoors, Michael Dingake from Botswana, Mr Andimba Toivo ya Toivo of SWAPO in Namibia.

We are pleased to be joined by members of the legal team in the Rivonia Treason trial – Lord Joel Joffe, who is now based in London and Judge Arthur Chaskalson. We also remember and pay tribute to Mr Harry Schwarz, who sadly passed away last week.

To read the full address click here.