What the ANC says and what the ANC does are two different things. Every election year an ANC leader stands up and repeats promises that do not materialise.
Jacob Zuma's address today was no different. As always, it was long on promises, but short on credibility. Every one of Jacob Zuma's utterances is contradicted by the experience in reality.
This was typified by Jacob Zuma's announcement that the ANC's award for the best performing group of councillors went to the ANC councillors of the Musina Local Municipality in Limpopo.
I am currently in Musina, where the announcement was greeted with disbelief. It is common cause among Musina residents that this is one of the most dysfunctional municipalities in the country.
The contradictions today flowed thick and fast. Take for example, Jacob Zuma's promises to step up the fight against corruption in its ranks and to ensure that ANC members in business, public servants and elected representatives do not abuse the State for corrupt practices.
This comes from a man who faces a charge of 783 counts of alleged corruption totalling R4.2 million. If Zuma was serious about the fight against corruption, he would step down as the ANC presidential candidate until his name was cleared in court. He certainly would not have his allies mooting a political deal to get him off the hook should he be convicted.
Zuma also lauded the government's achievements in fighting poverty and creating jobs. Yet, 38% of South Africans remain without a job at all, let alone a decent one. Two out of every five South Africans continue to live in poverty.
Zuma said that State Owned Enterprises must be used to achieve a better life for all, yet these selfsame institutions after fifteen years of ANC misrule are unable to deliver on their basic mandate - the continuing threat of rolling-black outs by Eskom is just one example of how inefficient these institutions have become.
Zuma said that his government would work towards finding a lasting solution to the political crisis in Zimbabwe. The ANC has been saying this for years and yet has stood idly by while the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in our northern neighbour worsens by the day.
Why has the ANC failed to deliver and why will it continue to break its promises? The reason is, whatever the rhetoric, the ANC do not see government as a site of delivery. It sees government as an employment bureau for party loyalists, families and friends, and a means of dispensing patronage through tenders and contracts. The deployment of ANC cadres to state institutions and business is a cornerstone of ANC policy. Policy implementation will never be achieved until the ANC abolishes this practice.
This morning, in Limpopo, I welcomed 70 ANC members into our Namagkale branch. They have joined our party precisely because they are tired of ANC broken promises and failure to deliver. They want the better life that was promised, but has never materialised. They realise that the DA is the only party that has the plan, the vision, the track-record and the political will to deliver on its promises.
We look forward to launching our manifesto at the beginning of February and showing South Africa that our vision of an open, opportunity society for all is the only alternative to the closed, crony society that the ANC promotes.
Statement issued by Democratic Alliance leader, Helen Zille, January 10 2009
