AfriForum: “State of the Nation address an embarrassing illustration of lack of leadership”
11 February 2016
AfriForum regards the controversial start to the 2016 State of the Nation address by President Zuma to be an embarrassing illustration of the lack of leadership in South Africa. On the one hand opposition parties used the opportunity to launch election campaign themes while displaying an absolute lack of respect for the President. On the other the President as usual treated this tragic state of affairs as a joke and abused historical events to polarise South African communities even further along racial grounds.
According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, the introduction to the address is yet another example of ways in which the President and the ruling party create a scapegoat culture in an effort to conceal their own failures.
“Regarding the rest of the address: the President acknowledged no responsibility for his role in creating the economic crises facing the country at present. No accountability was accepted for disastrous actions including his appointment of Ministers of Finance in December 2015, the damage caused to the tourism industry by visa regulations, or even the Eskom crisis. Economic matters dominated. Key issues like crime and education barely received any attention, even though both will play a crucial role in the future of the South African economy.”
“As could be expected of a state of the nation address in an election year, much was promised, but little said. The budget speech might cast more light on issues the President alluded to. Meanwhile the controversy surrounding his person and the resulting national instability will continue at the cost of the future of all South Africans,” Bailey concluded.
In the run up to the budget speech of 2016, AfriForum asks the public to voice their opinions about the manner in which their taxes are being used. See https://www.afriforum.co.za/whatarewepayingfor/.
Issued by Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO, AfriForum, 11 February 2016
