'Security the same as for past 21 years'

10 February 2016 - 02:19 By Bianca Capazorio

The security deployed for this year's State of the Nation speech is "no different" from any other in the past 21 years, Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete said yesterday.Briefing the media ahead of tomorrow's speech, Mbete said though the event was important and required added security to run smoothly, security measures at the event needed to be "demystified".She said measures put in place were no different to when she first arrived in parliament and had driven past "soldiers in the trees"."There was no EFF then," she said.Last year's speech becamecontroversial when it was revealed that a signal jammer had been used and security personnel, dubbed "The White Shirts", were called in to remove the EFF.The events of last year gave rise to a new parliamentary rule, 53A, which allows the removal of MPs.Mbete vowed to enforce it should it become necessary.She said since its implementation necessary "human resources" had been acquired for parliamentary protection.The EFF has threatened to disrupt the speech again, this time with questions about why former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene was removed from his post.Reports have emerged that a special "crimes against the state" unit will be deployed.The ANC Youth League threatened on social media that there would be "civil war" should MPs disrupt the event.Three separate marches, involving 7000 people, are planned for the day.The Zuma Must Fall, DA and Ses'khona People's Rights Movement marches have been scheduled at different times through the day and have been assigned specific routes by the City of Cape Town.Mbete hoped the events would be " orderly".She said threats by the EFF and the ANC Youth League had been discussed at parliamentary planning meetings but it was up to the various arms of government to ensure the event ran smoothly...

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