Mixed reaction from political parties on the President’s State of the Nation Address

There has been mixed reaction from political parties on the President’s State of the Nation Address. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening.

Economic Freedom Fighters Leader Julius Malema says President Cyril Ramaphosa has passed a motion of no confidence on himself by shifting government’s responsibility of job creation to the private sector.

However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomed the President’s announcement on the role of the private sector in growing the economy.

Ramaphosa highlighted that government’s main responsibility is to create an enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs.

He insisted that jobs are created by the private sector than government. Malema has slammed this move.

“He has also passed a motion of no confidence on himself after promising so many millions of jobs, now he says government can’t provide jobs, jobs must be provided by the private sector. And in the manifesto of the ANC which made him a president, he committed jobs. So generally they have outsourced the responsibility of governing our people into a private sector. If you look at the approach on the state owned enterprises, it’s clear its being outsourced,” says Malema.

Economy

DA Leader John Steenhuisen says, “He struck exactly the right note tonight on the economy and he took it all over the DA playbook. I am delighted that for the first time now, where an ANC President admitting that the state’s approach is not going to get growth and that you need the private sector. He announced on the things the DA has been talking for years, cutting red tape, involving the private sector – opening up the economy more, realising that the state cannot drive growth in South Africa and create jobs.  So this is a major shift. I hope the President will convince his party.”

DA manifesto

United Democratic Movement Chief Whip, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, says the President’s speech sounded more like a DA manifesto.

Kwankwa says, “This is a neo- liberal speech. He focuses more on privatisation. It sounds more like I was listening to a DA speech, a DA manifesto and DA speech where he contradicts himself right at the beginning of the speech. He talks about the state playing a conducive role and creating a conducive environment for the private sector in which to operate but at the same time, at the latter part of the speech he talks about a development state. The two can’t go existing together.”

National State of Disaster

Ramaphosa also announced that the National State of Disaster may end soon as it is under consideration.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) have welcomed Ramaphosa’s announcement that he is considering to end it.

ACDP Leader Kenneth Meshoe says, “We are satisfied that he is considering ending the National State of Disaster. We have been looking to that and Parliament has been inactive and the President and his few teams, small teams have been running the country which obviously we are unhappy about.”

“But we are delighted that he did acknowledge that Parliament must start operating and doing its work properly because we know that once Parliament start doing its work properly and number of things that are out of place are now going to be in place. The rights of the people, the freedoms of the people are going to be restored, adds Meshoe.

NFP MP Ahmed Shaik-Emam says ending the state of disaster will bring normalcy to the country.

“Yes indeed I think it’s about time that we do end the National State of Disaster and bring an end to the National State of Disaster and bring absolute normality to the economy and society as a whole,” adds Shaik-Emam.

Basic income grant

The Good Party has welcomed the announcement of the extension of a basic income grant, saying it is affordable.

Freedom Front Plus Leader, Pieter Groenewald, says his party will monitor the President and his team that has to ensure that those implicated in corruption are brought to book.

Al Jama-Ah leader, Ganief Hendriks, says heads must roll following the panel of experts’ report into the July unrest. He says the security cluster ministers must take responsibility.

Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, reflected on the President’s announcement around immigration when it comes to the development of foreign nationals and South Africans.

He touched on critical skills versus important skills needed in South Africa.

The President’s SONA will be followed by a two-day State of the Nation Debate and his reply to the debate next week.

VIDEO: Political parties react to President Cyril Ramaphosa speech:

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech: