One eye on the sky, workers at Parliament were labouring in the predawn dark on Wednesday, taping down the long red carpet President Jacob Zuma will walk along later on the way to deliver his state of the nation address.

"I hope it doesn't rain. It's going to be a real problem rolling this up afterwards if it does," one told Sapa.

The low grey cloud over Cape Town is a sign the weatherman's predictions might be accurate, with a 30 percent chance of rain forecast for the city.

Outside the 124-year-old National Council of Provinces chamber, an audio-visual company hired for the occasion tested its sound system, scaring a flock of ibis out of their roosts in an adjacent giant ficus tree.

Officials, many wearing raincoats, dashed around checking all was in order ahead of the arrival of the first guests and dignitaries from 8am on Wednesday.

Workers swept the steps outside the National Assembly building, where Zuma is set to deliver his address at 11am.

Events ahead of the speech are set to include a fly-past by the SA Air Force and a 21-gun salute.

Security around the parliamentary precinct is heavy, with scores of uniformed police officials at key entrances to the complex.

Sapa

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