FF PLUS REACTION TO PRES. ZUMA'S STATE OF THE NATION
"Back to the basics" was the overarching impression of President Zuma's first State of the Nation Address. Where government had in the past denied problems such as crime, Zimbabwe and HIV/Aids and had gotten stuck in ideological debates, President Zuma identified core problems and made proposals as to how it could be addressed. This includes issues such as crime, corruption, poor health services, education, poverty etc. The impression was created that new management with new ideas is now in charge. If there is however also not renewal in the public service, many of these proposals will only create confusion, but will not be enforced in practice.
Proposals to reduce red-tape for small business enterprises and to make it easier to do business in South Africa are welcomed. It is necessary in order to make it easier to create new job opportunities in this time of an economic recession and the FF Plus hopes that that this would apply to the agricultural sector. It is however still not clear from the President's speech which economic direction the government will be following with the different economic schools of thought presently represented in government.
The FF Plus believes that cooperation between the police and the private security industry will combat crime more successfully. In that light, we are concerned about the reference of the President to stricter regulations for the private security industry. It is not clear whether it entails closer cooperation or more alienation between the industry and government.
If the President's reference to name changes means that clear guidelines and a cut off date with regards to all the different name change proposals will be established as soon as possible, the FF Plus welcomes it. If it however means that we have to prepare for a further long and drawn out struggle from town to town about name changes, it will lead to greater polarisation and alienation between groups of South Africa .
Statement issued by Freedom Front Plus leader, Dr Pieter Mulder MP, June 3 2009
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