Cape Town:
As South African President Jacob Zuma readied to deliver his state of the nation address on Thursday, hoards of angry citizens protested outside the Parliament in Cape Town against his failure to deliver on his promises.
Some streets and pavements were cordoned off due to the protests and there was a large police presence outside CBD adjoining the Parliament.
The state of the nation address is considered more important than the Budget speech as it contextualises the policies on issues affecting growth.
President Zuma has been at the centre of a controversy over his alleged spending of state money on personal use.
The opposing political parties hope his involvement in the scandal would make way for impeachment proceedings against him. The Economic Freedom Fighters or EFC Members of Parliament recently raised slogans 'Zuma must fall'.
On 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verster prison after 27 years of imprisonment. The first sight the world saw of him was with his right fist raised. It was a sight that became the power of the rainbow nation, it symbolised the power of unity. But this Thursday, 26 years later, an African National Congress or ANC successor stood ahead of the nation, with his hand raised to his heart but in a compromised situation.