DA scores President Zuma 1/10   

1 December 2014

Note to Editors: This statement was distributed at a press conference this morning at Parliament. 

The DA has conducted a comprehensive assessment of President Zuma's performance since the May elections and it is clear that this is the worst performance yet by the President. A full cabinet report card assessing the President and his cabinet can be seen here. 

The reality is that President Zuma is failing as President of our country and the majority of the Ministers in his cabinet are failing as well.

The following matters are of grave concern:

- The President's unwillingness to answer questions in Parliament. President Zuma has failed to answer a full set of questions in Parliament since November 2013, clearly in contravention of the Parliamentary rules which require him to attend once per term. In so doing, the President has undermined Parliament and undermined the Constitution. 

- The President's response to the Public Protector's report on Nkandla. He has made every effort imaginable to avoid accountability on this issue. He waited as long as he could to respond to the Public Protector's findings that he benefited improperly. He wrote a non-response in which he attempted to avoid responsibility. He refuses to answer on when he will pay back the money he owes. 

- Our stagnating economy. Unemployment continues to increase. It is now over 35% on an expanded definition. Moody's has downgraded our sovereign credit rating, and also the credit ratings of all of South Africa's majour financial institutions. There is no doubt that South Africa faces an economic crisis. Our fiscal situation is deteriorating, growth remains low and unemployment is on an upward trajectory, yet the President does not even acknowledge the problem. Nothing new has been announced to improve the economic situation. 

- Our energy crisis. The President has reportedly made a secret deal with the Russian to build up to R1 trillion in new nuclear power stations. No public procurement process was followed and there is no indication that this is the most cost effective or strategic option on the table. Simultaneously, the President has been missing in action on the Eskom crisis, which requires high level intervention to help determine the future of Eskom. The result is that we are facing potentially multiple years of recurring blackouts and no clarity on the way forward for Eskom.

- The R30 billion we lose to fraud and corruption annually. President Zuma must renounce corruption and support all investigations into corrupt officials and politicians, including those into his own affairs. Crucially, the President must support a law to stop politicians and government officials from doing business with the state, as has been implemented in the Western Cape. 

- The politicisation of the state communications machinery. Nothing is more destructive to the long-term health our democracy and the recent moves by the President to capture the state communications machinery, including the SABC, and to use it as a propaganda tool. This is inherently corrupt, unconstitutional and anti-democratic. It must be stopped at all costs.

- The politicisation of independent institutions within the criminal justice system. There are serious questions over the NPA, the Public Protector and a number of other institutions meant to uphold the rule of law. These institutions must remain independent to ensure that the President and the executive are accountable to the same laws as other South Africans. The President and the ANC's assault on these institutions, in particular the ANC's attacks on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, are deeply worrying as they point to a willingness to undermine the independence of these institutions for the sake of protecting President Zuma. This is unconstitutional and cannot stand.

In short, President Zuma has failed to deliver positive improvements to the lives of South Africans, and is prepared to compromise the constitution to protect himself from oversight. He is a destructive presence at the centre of our government and can be directly linked to many of our most pressing challenges.

A number of his colleagues in cabinet are not performing well either. 

These are South Africa's worst performing ministers:

- The Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi (1/10): Minister Muthambi is at the centre of the President's move to turn the state communications apparatus into a propaganda machine. She is the number one backer of disgraced appointees to the SABC like Hlaudi Motsoeneng and Ellen Tshabalala.

- Minister of Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel (1/10): Minister Patel has overseen a stagnant economy and increasing unemployment. He is primarily responsible for the economy policy confusion we face now as he is the author of the New Growth Path, which diametrically opposes the NDP. 

- The Minister of Energy, Tina Joemat-Pettersson (1/10): The Minister of Energy is jointly liable for the reported deal with the Russians, which would be disastrous for our economy. She has also stalled on the implementation of the ISMO bill and the Gas masterplan, holding back development in two key industries: Gas and renewable energy. 

- The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane (2/10): Nomvula Mokonyane is in denial about our water crisis. She refuses to accept responsibility for what happened at Rand Water and has refused to act on reports of ecoli in South Africa's towns. She does not respond positive to oversight and is a generally disruptive presence when she comes to the House. 

- The Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant (3/10): South Africa's labour relations are at an all-time low and Minister Oliphant has done nothing to improve this. Our unemployment rate is now over 35% and she has only continued to make it even more difficult for businesses to create jobs.

- The Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula (3/10): Minister Mbalula has embarrassed himself on a number of occasions. He has spent most of his time making ridiculous statements. He is not fit for a cabinet level appointment. It is also clear that he has not achieved much in bringing more sporting infrastructure to people in need.

- The Minister of Public Enterprise, Lynne Brown (4/10): Minister Brown is overseeing two concurrent crises at Eskom and SAA, and she is doing little to improve things. The approach to Eskom has been particularly damaging, as she has refused to provide any clarity to Parliament as to what is really going on at Eskom's power plants.

The vast majority of the Ministers scored by the DA are producing mediocre results, with scores mostly ranging between 4/10 and 6/10. 

One minister continues to do good work, and deserves some credit:

- Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor (8/10): Her department is well-managed, targets are set and reached and there is a clear strategy to roll out increased research and development. 

All-in-all cabinet is not performing well, and it is apparent in our national discourse and daily experiences. South Africa faces an unprecedented number of serious challenges, and South Africans are struggling to make ends meet. 

President Zuma's State of the Nation next year will be make-or-break. If President Zuma does not take serious action to open himself up to accountability and to chart a new way forward, we will have to take serious action against the President in Parliament. 

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, December 1 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter