JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), expected to take place on Thursday evening at City Hall in Cape Town, will cost R7-million.
This was confirmed by Parliament Secretary Xolile George during a media briefing outlining Parliament’s state of readiness for the event.
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George said the amount is largely attributed to the hiring of broadcasting equipment and related services to ensure the structure is fit for purpose.
“The City Hall is not costing us a lot, in fact, what we are paying to the city is little. The main cost driver is the broadcasting equipment and services,” he said.
The current budget marks a significant drop from the previous SONA, which cost R15-million.
However, of that amount, only R12.3-million was spent, with equipment alone amounting to R9.1 million, George said.
He attributed the reduced budget to the decision not to hire the International Convention Centre (ICC) for the 2026 event.
“As you would know, most of our guests last year were hosted at the ICC. This year, we have a marquee in front of the City Hall, while the high-cost driver taken up by public works,” he said.
George added that Parliament aims to continue reducing the cost drivers associated with hosting SONA.