SANDF presence in Parli unconstitutional: Expert
A legal expert believes the Constitution would be breached if SANDF soldiers are allowed into the Parliamentary precinct.
Professor Pierre de Vos is a Constitutional Law expert and says the Executive cannot deploy troops inside another branch of government.
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He's been reacting to the announcement that more than 400 soldiers will help police maintain law and order at the opening of Parliament tomorrow.
"To do this and to do this at Parliament - is quite shocking. It can be seen as intimidation, it can be seen as the Executive trampling on the terrain of another branch of government - the legislature. I think if they are going to be allowed into Parliament and its precinct - this is going to be unconstitutional," he said.
De Vos says it will be a bad day for South Africa's democracy if Parliament can't properly perform its oversight role over the Executive.
But Parliament says there is no cause for alarm and nothing unusual about the deployment of soldiers at the State of the Nation Address.
Secretary to Parliament, Gengezi Mgidlana, says the soldiers will have absolutely nothing to do with maintaining law and order in Parliament - because it is outside of their mandate.