Nothing new in address, says Malema

OPPOSITION parties poured cold water on President Jacob Zuma's state of the nation address yesterday, saying he didn't go far enough in his announcements about supporting the economy.

DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said in confronting the realities facing the country, Zuma was living in one space while South Africans found themselves in a very different space.

"I felt tonight the president had an opportunity to bring some very strong ideas and some very bold steps. I didn't see that forthcoming," Maimane said.

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said there was nothing new in Zuma's speech and criticised his commitments to the mining sectors as just plagiarism of the mining charter.

"The charter commits the mining sector to certain things, including housing and all that ... We should be told today how many mines have been closed down for not complying with [the charter] and not repeating what the charter says, creat[ing] an impression that we are saying a new thing," Malema said.

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the speech was disappointing. Zuma had backtracked from promises the party made in its manifesto.

"The more worrying thing for me is the change of the rhetoric in relation to even the commitment to the national minimum wage in the manifesto," he said

"The manifesto talks about investigating modalities. The speech now talks about investigating possibilities [of a minimum wage]. There is a world of difference [between the two]." - Aphiwe Deklerk