It was a bizarre ending to the just under 40-minute presidential reply in which Zuma limited himself to responding to IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi – whose IFP did not fully participate in Thursday’s opposition boycott of the presidential reply – and various ANC speakers. “I take it that I’ve responded to the debate and responded to specific members… who discussed the budget vote… not those who were not discussing the budget. The issue was the budget,” he said, adding that if MPs had no respect, it would be difficult to respect them in return.

“I’m happy you were able to handle the House,” proceeded Zuma, going off-script with a “message” for Mbete. “I believe your House needs to do more to bring this House into order. I go around Africa and people ask me very embarrassing questions about this Parliament.”

What was happening in the institution was changing perceptions of South Africa as a strong constitutional democracy, he said.

“They are now saying you are influencing some of their people in a wrong way. It will be very important that you seriously bring this House into some order for the dignity of the country.”

And Mbete responded, agreeing that “old people” were asking about what was going on in Parliament, but adding that the rules committee was dealing with such matters.

It was an interesting exchange, appearing to blur the line between Mbete, also the ANC national chairperson, and Zuma, the ANC president, and the roles they have in separate spheres of the state. It also seemed to expose the frustration the president, and others in his administration, have experienced in Parliament, where vociferous, acerbic and sometimes chaotic exchanges have featured regularly since the May 2014 elections. It is not necessarily a comfortable place for the governing party as it is being challenged brashly and robustly, despite its numerical dominance. Being asked about such interactions seems to have hit a nerve in the Zuma administration as South Africa regards itself as a player internationally and on the continent, a role that was repeatedly highlighted over the past two days’ debate.

Wednesday’s eviction of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who in the wake of the Constitutional Court judgment on Nkandla publicly said Zuma would not receive the respect of office, appeared to run to a well-rehearsed ANC script. Although the EFF attended, its call for Zuma not to be allowed to speak was met by Mbete going through the pace the rules require: name MPs, call in the Sergeant-at-Arms and then the parliamentary protection services to escort out unruly MPs.

Ditto, the barrage of ANC points of order against DA leader Mmusi Maimane, whose prepared speech made much of his party’s successful court bid to have declared invalid the dropping of 783 charges against Zuma in April 2009. This announcement just before that year’s elections effectively cleared the way for Zuma to be elected and sworn in as president.

But efforts to control the proceedings were an uphill battle as the opposition matched ANC points of order, and towards the end of a more than six-hour debate DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen effectively was given free rein in a hard-hitting closure speech, untroubled by a single point of order.

On Thursday the opposition parties hit back with their own tactics, a boycott. Although the cat was already out of the bag on Wednesday afternoon, following a Twitter spat between EFF leader Julius Malema and Maimane, the DA leader nevertheless made an official announcement. “As representatives of the people of South Africa, we cannot in good conscience legitimise an empty speech of an utterly discredited and illegitimate president,” he said.

And in keeping with the usual parliamentary party politicking, the ANC weighed in to re-iterate that no court had found the president guilty of anything. The office of the ANC Chief Whip described the boycott as “a laughable publicity stunt and a self-contradictory exercise that is driven more by opposition mob psychology than substance”.

Perhaps this response was one discussed at the ANC caucus addressed by ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte, who also oversaw the announcement of a round of musical chairs for the committee chairpeople.

Still to be addressed is the protest by elderly men and women from the former Ciskei homeland who since last month for the fourth time in two years have gathered outside Parliament for help in a dispute over pension and benefit payments. On Thursday several old men simply lay in front of various gates to the national legislature, effectively limiting access by the luxury cars of ministers and the presidential protection team to the main gate. Last year Parliament undertook to assist, but said it was “surprised” by their return as there had been a number of feedback meetings.

Meanwhile, inside the National Assembly, having made it clear there would be no response to anyone who did not speak directly to the presidency during Wednesday’s debate, Zuma took some time to raise questions of covert forces at play at Vuwani, Limpopo. He condemned the burning of 17 schools during community protests over demarcation.

“There is no grievance that can justify the destruction of schools, which are meant to help the next generation of Vuwani to defeat poverty, inequality and unemployment,” said Zuma. And going off-script, he added: “This really raises eyebrows… 17 schools is not a small thing. I think we need to look deeper into this because there have been rumours that there has been some motive, and some people taking advantage… 17 schools, it looks suspicious.”

Those wanting to spread instability would not succeed: “Let us not play around with the security of state, our country and our people.”

Not everyone in Vuwani was lawless, and the government’s comprehensive rural development plans for the area were at an advanced stage “so peace-loving residents can obtain the development they need”.

State Security Minister David Mahlobo, doubling up as acting police minister (Nkosinathi Nhleko is in China on government business), and Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen on Thursday were in the area.

Thursday’s presidential reply to the Presidency budget debate continued to tell the good story, or as Zuma put it:

“I wish to reiterate that the journey we have travelled as a nation is truly remarkable.”

But the president effectively only spoke to his own party. There was occasional polite applause from the ANC benches, which stood up at the end for yet another standing ovation, the third in two days. DM

Photo: South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma arrives with Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete to give his State of the Nation address at the opening session of Parliament in Cape Town, February 11, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings