There is no contradiction between President Zuma and Minister Manuel
11 April 2013
The Presidency has noted the knee-jerk reaction of the media each time any member of Cabinet mentions the legacy of apartheid (see report).
There is no contradiction between what President Jacob Zuma and Minister Trevor Manuel said about the legacy of apartheid.
Stating that the apartheid legacy and impact still exist and will linger on for a long time does not mean that the President is saying that public servants should use it to excuse laziness and incompetence.
The point President Zuma made is that it is impossible to reverse the legacy of apartheid in only 20 years. Having said that, he then emphasised that it must take a shorter period to reverse the impact and called upon public servants and political leadership in government to work harder and faster to bring about a better life.