Some MPs refuse to recognise ‘clear progress’ as it ‘does not serve’ their political interests

South Africa has made great strides in the past five years, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who claimed some MPs used the debate on his State of the Nation Address (Sona) like merchants of despair, “instead of being merchants of hope” by depicting the country as chaotic.

Ramaphosa said nobody could deny how far SA had come, “nor can anyone deny that our country has been struck by successive crises that have severely impeded our efforts to improve the lives of our people”.

Over the past two days, opposition parties criticised Ramaphosa’s Sona, with some calling for his resignation, and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema saying, “you’re a man on top and doing nothing”.

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But ANC leaders like Gwede Mantashe and Pemmy Majodina came to Ramaphosa’s defence, saying his address provided much-needed solutions.

“Unfortunately, we have political parties that never want to be involved in finding solutions to any crisis,” Mantashe said.

Ramaphosa defends his Cabinet

Responding to the debate on his seventh Sona, the president said instead of coming up with practical suggestions or solutions to South Africa’s problems, the debate demonstrated the differences between parties and political contestation.

He added: “We inherited a state hollowed out by corruption and malfeasance and an economy in steep decline.

“Since then, we have rebuilt the capability and restored the independence of institutions essential to our democracy.

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“The debate has raised important issues and some constructive suggestions have been made. [But] some choose to belittle and deride what has been achieved over the [past] five years in the midst of extremely difficult conditions because it does not serve their political interests to recognise the progress that is plainly clear.”

He also said that rather than acknowledging the grave damage caused to the country by state capture, the effects of a devastating global pandemic or the worst public violence in the history of the country’s democracy, members of parliament had resorted to “dishonest and self-serving rhetoric”.

‘Better life for all’

Ramaphosa told the MPs to ask themselves if they could work together to confront the challenges SA had, or if “they will be consumed by their differences”.

“Are we, as the elected representatives of our people gathered here in this House, able to work together to confront the challenges of our nation, united by a common purpose?” he asked.

“The task we have, as elected representatives, is to emerge from this debate with a common determination to meet the challenges of the present and renew the promise contained in our constitution of a better life for all.

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“Where people have begun to doubt the promise of our constitution, it is our job to restore it.”

This was after Police Minister Bheki Cele, EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini and Malema traded insults in parliament on Tuesday over an alleged assassination plot implicating the Inkatha Freedom Party in KwaZulu-Natal.

Malema said in the midst of landlessness and joblessness, among other crises facing the country, South Africa was reeling due to increasing crime rates which he attributed to Cele being “incapable and unwilling” to do what was necessary to change this situation.

Another squabble arose between Cele and Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen after the minister accused him of abuse and slammed women in the DA for keeping quiet on the issue.

‘New investments’

Ramaphosa also applauded his Cabinet for successfully implementing “far-reaching economic reform to restore confidence in our economy”.

“We have successfully mobilised new investments in factories, production lines, call centres, farms and mines across the country,” he added.

“These have created jobs and opportunities, including for small businesses. This represents real progress to rebuild our country and to recover what we had lost.

“Despite this progress, however, we face steep challenges.”

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– reitumetsem@citizen.co.za