The ANC's annual January 8 statement is a significant marker in the political calendar because it outline's the governing party's priorities and programme of action for the year ahead.

Inevitably, the media coverage focused on the glitz and the glamour of the event, the luxury cars, the entertainment, the abundance of alcohol, the gourmet menu -- and then the political promises.

Our job is to go behind the façade, and analyse the content of President Zuma's keynote speech. Taken at face value, it contains many statements with which the DA can agree.

We agree that South Africa should be guided by the "vision of a non-racial society built on the values of equality and respect for a common humanity".

We agree that "job creation must be the central focus of our economic policies" because jobs are the only sustainable way to beat poverty.

We agree that our public health care system must be "revitalised and improved" which includes "appointing qualified personnel and improving infrastructure".

We agree that there must be a sustained improvement in public education and that "teachers must be in school, in class, on time, teaching for at least seven hours a day".

We agree that "government must provide textbooks and [learning] materials and provide the necessary support".

We agree that loans should be converted to bursaries for deserving tertiary students who succeed in their studies.

We agree that the country needs a strong, diverse and independent media.

We agree that "alcohol and drug abuse are twin scourges that impact negatively on all aspects of South African society" and that there should be a campaign to reduce the impact of this abuse.

We agree with the notion of "steadfast opposition to corruption."

We agree that senior municipal officials should not hold executive leadership positions in political parties.

We agree with the promotion of democracy, peace and stability in Africa.
 
These are all noble intentions. The problem is that the ANC cannot achieve these goals because of its own inherent contradictions.

As President Zuma revealed in his speech, the tripartite alliance is still caught in a toxic trap of racial nationalism and Marxist-Leninism (including discredited ideas such as "democratic centralism", a Communist "vanguard" party, cadre deployment, the conflation of party and state, and the predominance of the ruling party over Parliament.) 

The ANC needs this ideological underpinning because, without it, the "tripartite alliance" would fall apart.  Keeping this coalition together is President Zuma's "unwavering commitment" and his top priority in an election year.  But, ironically, this is also the key reason why the ANC will be unable to adopt or implement the policies that can achieve its stated goals.  This will become increasingly apparent, in the form of unfulfilled promises, which will eventually lead to the party's downfall.
 
A clear example of the contradiction between ends and means is the ANC's Africa policy.
 
All sensible South Africans would agree with President Zuma's stated goal of promoting "democracy, peace and stability in Africa".  But the next few sentences of Zuma's speech reveals why the ANC's actual policy programme will lead to the precise opposite.
 
Said Zuma: "The ANC has strong party-to-party relations with former liberation movements in the SADC region and other parts of the continent.  We will continue to enhance these relations in order to contribute towards deepening progressive political thought in the continent and globally."
 
In other words, the ANC will continue to unconditionally support ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe and other former liberation movements elsewhere.   The ANC will ensure that SADC continues to protect former "freedom fighters" who have morphed into despots.
 
Another clear contradiction between ends and means is President Zuma's stated commitment to a "strong, diverse and independent" media. But he immediately went on to say that the ANC places "a high premium on the involvement of our cadres in all centres of power.  ANC cadres have a responsibility to promote progressive traditions within the intellectual community which includes our universities and the media."
 
If President Zuma succeeds in his stated intention of extending ANC "cadre deployment" in universities and the media, these institutions will forfeit their independence and become extensions of the ANC.  If he can achieve this objective, the need for an ANC-dominated media tribunal will fall away.
 
Perhaps the biggest flaw of all is Zuma's continued delusion that the state can play a leading role in planning, managing and leading sustainable economic growth and job creation.
 
He remains in denial about the extent to which cadre deployment has undermined the capacity of the state at national, provincial and local level, so that today it often cannot fulfil its most basic functions, let alone lead "economic transformation". 

President Zuma stressed that the party would continue to "place a high premium on the involvement of our cadres in all centres of power...We need their presence and involvement in key strategic positions in the state as well as the private sector, and will continue strategic deployments in this regard".  In other words, the ANC's need for patronage and control (the "closed, crony society for comrades") trumps the need for "open, opportunity-driven" policies to promote economic growth and job creation.
 
The speech contains countless other examples of the inherent contradictions at the heart of the ANC today.  There was the usual rhetorical commitment to reduce South Africa's high rate of alcohol abuse, even as the subsidised high-end range of whiskies flowed freely. 

The repeated reference to "selfless sacrifice" contrasted sharply with the bling, the entertainment and the fleets of luxury cars; there was the usual ironic reference to fighting corruption, even as the arms deal cover-up continues in order to protect ANC heavyweights, including the President himself;   And there was the usual avoidance of acknowledging that concurrent sexual relationships are the primary driver of our HIV-AIDS pandemic.  None of these things can be confronted under a Zuma Presidency.
 
The President may have brought his party under control and papered over the cracks, but only for now.   The internal contradictions within the ANC alliance will eventually tear it apart.  Our job is to build a coherent, internally consistent, inclusive alternative that can really deliver the better life for all in South Africa. That is our task for this year and in the years ahead. We will keep going until this mission is complete.

This article by Helen Zille first appeared in SA Today, the weekly online newsletter of the leader of the Democratic Alliance.

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