Press arrangements for State of the Nation Address: 3 June 2009
2 June 2009
General
- Press will be restricted to designated areas.
- Only essential vehicles (required for set-up) will be allowed on the premises. Vehicles that are not required for set-up will not be allowed to park on Parliament’s premises or in roads closed for the State of the Nation Address.
- Only support media who are essential for covering the State of the Nation Address will be accredited and allowed access to the Parliamentary precinct.
- Broadcast media should provide a separate list of back-up staff for accreditation, in the event of last-minute unavoidable changes they may have to make.
- All set-ups, in designated locations, must be complete and ready for inspection by Parliamentary officials by 16.00 on Tuesday 2 June 2009.
- All live broadcast media positions will be published in advance to enable the condition of point 2 above to be met.
- All other media positions will be published in advance of 3 June.
- A full list of accredited media has been published on Parliament’s website (www.parliament.gov.za) and the Government Communications website (www.gcis.gov.za).
Registration
- All screening and registration of accredited media will be at 90 Plein Street (adjoining Lily Street). Please do not go through Parliament’s Visitors’ Centre.
- Screening and registration of accredited media at 90 Plein Street is from 5.00 to 8.30.
- Please bring along official identification (identity document or passport) and a letter from your editor when collecting your accreditation.
Do's and don’ts
Please do
- Follow instructions from media management officials and security personnel.
- Keep three (3) metres away from the Presidential procession at all times.
- Interview members of the Junior Guard of Honour, the Civil Guard of Honour and the Eminent Persons only from 9.00 to not later than 9:45 – to give them time to get back into position before the procession from the Slave Lodge to the steps of the New Wing begins.
- Interview and take photos in the area to the right of the New Wing steps after the State of the Nation Address – not at the exit from the National Assembly Chamber or the New Wing or on the steps of the New Wing.
- Wear designated bibs and/or accreditation tags at all times.
Please don’t
- Step onto the red carpet before and while the Presidential procession is in progress.
- Try to interview the President or any other person who is part of the procession while the procession is in progress.
- Try to doorstop Members of Parliament or other guests at the exit from the National Assembly Chamber or on the steps of the New Wing after the State of the Nation Address.
- Erect temporary structures or electric cabling on the Parliamentary precinct for which you have not submitted a service provider clearance certificate and have no approval from Parliament’s Protection Services and the South African Police Service based at Parliament.
- Use a flash when or tripod when photographing inside the National Assembly Chamber.
Seating in the National Assembly Chamber
Press accredited with access to the National Assembly Chamber must be seated in the press gallery by 9.45. The doors to the National Assembly Chamber will be closed to the public at 10.00.
Broadcast media
All accredited broadcast media may obtain live feeds from Parliament’s Sound and Vision section. The feeds will be obtainable from Parliament’s Sound and Vision section, third floor New Wing and the GCIS at 120 Plein Street.
Broadcast media who require interview facilities on the day of the State of the Nation Address may make use of facilities provided by Parliament’s Sound and Vision section in the GCIS premises at 120 Plein Street.
No-rain weather plan
Photographers
There will be two separate pools – one outside the New Wing and other buildings along the procession route and another, separate one, allowed inside the National Assembly Chamber.
- An outside pool positioned along the procession route from the entrance to the Parliamentary precinct to the entrance to the New Wing. Only the official photographers and one camera each from SABC and ETV will be allowed to rove along the procession route. Other photographers who are allocated space along the route must be stationary. Positions are illustrated in the attached diagram.
- One pool stationed inside the National Assembly Chamber – near the doors and in the press gallery and the public gallery. As has been the practice previously, a stationary SABC camera with special lighting will be allowed in the space to the left (the side nearest Tuynhuys) of the entrance to the National Assembly Chamber. The official photographers will be allowed access to the National Assembly Chamber floor (one photographer at a time) and to all areas designated for commercial press photographers accredited for access to the inside of the New Wing and National Assembly Chamber.
Specific Parliamentary Communication Services and Government Communication officials will be responsible for each pool of photographers, each anticipated photo and media opportunity and the press seated in the National Assembly Chamber’s press gallery.
Photo opportunities outside the National Assembly Chamber (times are provisional and subject to change)
8.00 to 9.30 – entry to Old Assembly Chamber from Government Avenue in the Company Gardens
Arrival of VIPs (members of the Judiciary, Speakers of Provincial Legislatures, Provincial Premiers and Diplomats.
9.30 to 10.10 – Main entrance to the New Wing in which the National Assembly Chamber is located
Arrival of former Presidents, former Deputy Presidents, the former National Assembly Speaker and former Chief Justice.
10.20 – Procession from Slave Lodge
Procession of Premiers, Speakers of Provincial Legislatures, Judiciary, Parliament’s Presiding Officers, Deputy President and President.
10.50 – National salute on dais outside the New Wing.
After the State of the Nation Address – official photo on the steps leading to the National Assembly Chamber.
Photo opportunities inside the National Assembly Chamber
- The President entering the foyer of the National Assembly Chamber.
- The President delivering his State of the Nation Address in the Chamber.
What will happen on the day of the State of the Nation Address?
Proceedings start at around 8.00, in the following order:
- Members of the Judiciary, Speakers of Provincial Legislatures, Provincial Premiers and Diplomats arrive at the Company Gardens entrance to the Old Assembly.
- Junior and Civil Guards of Honour and Eminent Persons take up positions on both sides of the red carpet along Parliament Street from the entrance to the Parliamentary precinct.
- Former Presidents, former Deputy Presidents, the former National Assembly Speaker and former Chief Justice arrive at the entrance to the New Wing.
- Procession of Premiers, Speakers of Provincial Legislatures, Judiciary, Parliament’s Presiding Officers, Deputy President and President.
- The President takes the national salute on a podium outside the New Wing.
- The President delivers his State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly Chamber.
- Parliament’s Presiding Officers adjourn the Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.
- The President, Deputy President and Parliament’s Presiding Officers leave the National Assembly Chamber.
- Guests and Members of Parliament leave the National Assembly Chamber.
Rainy weather plan
- The outside pool of photographers will be restricted to lining the red carpet and the National Council of Provinces steps.
- The inside pool of photographers will be allowed to photograph from the NCOP and Old Assembly Chambers first floor balconies.
- SABC and ETV will be allowed to film in the foyer of the NCOP building, the Old Assembly foyer and New Wing foyer at designated spots illustrated in the diagram attached.
- The official photographers will be allowed to photograph inside and outside, including the procession of the President to the NA Chamber.
Main contact numbers
Parliamentary Communication Services
- Estelle Randall: 076 027 2181
- Lokile Molefe: 072 296 4336
Government Communications
- Colin Cruywagen: 082 377 9916
- Tuso Zibula: 072 127 1565