ZILLE NOT IN POSITION TO OFFER SOLUTION TO NATIONAL CHALLENGES
16 October 2012
The Office of the ANC Chief Whip welcomes the presidency's decision not to debate with DA leader Helen Zille on the state of the South African economy. The current challenges confronting our economy require sound leadership and decisive intervention - and the president is demonstrating that through his meetings with key stakeholders.
Perhaps Zille can explain to the public how affording her an opportunity for a grandstanding spectacle will bring the much-needed solution to the current challenges that the nation faces. No right-thinking president will be preoccupied with feeding the delusion of grandeur of one individual at the expense of finding an urgent and lasting solution to the serious challenges facing millions of people.
If Zille is as serious about the welfare of our people as she claims, she should address her yet-to-be-written letter of request for a debate to Marius Fransman, who is technically Zille's equivalent in the Western Cape Province. This will give her a good opportunity to outline her vision and plans for the Western Cape.
She missed a perfect opportunity to do so at the DA's provincial conference at the weekend - where she dedicated her address to ranting about the ANC rather than outlining her party's plans for the province it governs. In the 8-page speech delivered to the congress, Zille mentioned the "ANC" and "ANCYL" 24 times while only mentioning the "DA" 6 times.
A leader of opposition, who is trapped in oppositionist politics even within the province she leads, cannot be in a position to offer sound economic advice on the complex challenges facing the country and its people.
We must all rally behind the president and stakeholders' solution-finding process and shun silly and fruitless notions of individuals who are driven by a desire for personal glory.
Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, Parliament, Cape Town, October 16 2012
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