SONA Debate: President Zuma out of touch 

President Zuma's response on the State of the Nation debate was as dull and uninspiring as his State of the Nation Address. Despite our constant calls for President Zuma to respond to the growing economic crisis, no substantive answers were given.

He once again rehashed the same old problems. With only a scant reference to the National Development Plan, the President did not put forward any concrete steps to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and uplift poor South Africans. 

The President did not respond to my call to withdraw the job-killing legislation being considered by Parliament. There was no word on the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Bill, the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, the Expropriation Bill or the Infrastructure Development Bill. 

There were no further details on support for small businesses, no answers on the recent downgrading of South Africa's credit rating and no answers on the contraction of the economy in the first quarter.

The President's statement today that we have maths and science challenges in "some schools" is purposefully misleading. We are rated last in the world on these key indices. This is a massive systemic problem. We need the President to take it extremely seriously.

All of this paints a picture of a President that is out touch with the reality faced by ordinary South Africans. 

Where we do agree with the President is that the State of the Nation Address, should have been a debate about ideas. Unfortunately, the President didn't bring any today. Both South Africans and the world are left with more of the same.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA Parliamentary Leader, June 20 2014

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