Mixed reactions over Zuma’s address

President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address has been received with mixed reactions. Pan Africa Congress (PAC) president Letlapa Mphahlele says the PAC is particularly disappointed at the fact that Zuma spoke about his intensions to fight corruption yet he did not address the issue of a cadre deployment “policy” within the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Mphahlele added: “Whatever you do you cannot fight corruption successfully if you have such a policy.”

The PAC president, however, praised Zuma for accepting that the “willing buyer, willing seller” policy has failed. Mphahlele maintains that they have long said that this policy will not work and it’s high time that the President finally accepts this fact.

The United Christian Democratic Party’s Sipho Mfundisi shared the same sentiments as Mphahlele on the issue of the “willing buyer, willing seller “ policy. He nonetheless says it will be interesting to take note of the substitute policy that will be put into place as land re-distribution is a critical issue in South Africa.

President Zuma is out of touch with reality, maintains DA.

The DA maintains that President Zuma is out of touch with reality, as despite the growing unemployment rate, the President had nothing new to say. In a statement, the DA’s parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko says that the President needed to set out a bold vision for South Africa with an honest assessment of the state of our nation. “Instead he used the opportunity to engage in a PR exercise designed to keep his alliance partners on his side ahead of Mangaung.”

The DA, however, welcomes the infrastructure projects mentioned by Zuma, but raised question marks over how the government is going to find an additional R330 billion per year to pay for them.

During his speech, Zuma reported that during 2011, a total of 365 000 people were employed. This is the country’s best performance since the recession of 2008. However, the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (COSATU) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the fact that jobs have been created doesn’t mean that “we should celebrate as there are not enough jobs yet”.

He says: “We are deep deep in the forest, we are not out of the woods yet, but we see a light at the end of the tunnel.” Vavi says that he is particularly happy that the President has taken note and acknowledged Cosatu’s Corruption Watch. When asked to rate the President’s speech, Vavi said as difficult as it was he gives Zuma an average of between six and seven out of a possible ten.

– By Luvuyo Mdeni, Parliament