No hope, plans seen in speech

Organised business, opposition parties say president failed to tackle critical challenges

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma did not offer any hope or concrete plans to take South Africa out of its economic slump, with opposition parties, organised business and analysts blasting him for failing to tackle some of the country’s most critical challenges.

While Zuma spoke at length about the need to place business at the centre of the economy, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber expressed its disappointment that his turnaround plan lacked sufficient detail to put investors at ease.

Zuma said the government was developing a one-stop shop to cut red tape and any legislative blockages.

Business Chamber deputy president Cu mesh Moodliar said it was clear Zuma had listened to concerns raised by business and civil society.

“We also agree that economic growth can only happen through collaboration between labour, government and business,” he said.

“However, we are disappointed that his turnaround plan lacked sufficient detail and now shifts the pressure on [Finance] Minister Pravin Gordhan to deliver the detail in his budget speech later this month.

“All investment requires policy and fiscal certainty and more detail was needed in [the speech].”

Sundays River Citrus managing director Hannes de Waal said he was happy with the cooperative spirit displayed by the president to work with commercial farmers to develop the agricultural industry.

Greg Jones of the Kirkwood Ratepayers’ Association said he had hoped Zuma would outline strict measures to curb wasteful expenditure in local municipalities.

“It is a huge problem and it is one thing that delays service delivery in municipalities of the Eastern Cape,” Jones said.

Political analyst Joleen Steyn-Kotze said the president had failed to mention any plans to create sustainable jobs.

“He went back to small and micro business enterprises,” she said.

“There was no accountability for the role of the government in the state of our economy.

“Our economy is flirting with junk status, we are flirting with a recession.

“I think President Zuma may have missed an opportune time to say ‘here is our plan to change things around’,” Steyn-Kotze said.

COPE Bay secretary Rano Kayser said: “I could not hear any plans about growing the economy, except him mentioning investors that are already here.

“If he wants to make business central to the economy, the government must have the confidence of investors. His speech was disappointing.”

Kayser and the UDM’s Bay regional chairman, Mongameli Bobani, both welcomed plans to cut down on wasteful expenditure, although they said it remained to be seen if the ANC had the appetite to curtail overseas travel, catering and conferences.

They also criticised his bloated cabinet.

Bay DA mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said the speech was the most “appalling state of the nation address” he had ever heard from Zuma.

“He’s got no credibility on cutting down on expenditure when it’s his cabinet that’s wasting money,” Trollip said.

“In Nelson Mandela Bay, for example, they’ve wasted money like it’s going out of fashion.”

United Front regional secretary Mkhuseli Mtsila said: “Growth without redistribution will not happen.”

EFF provincial spokeswoman Yo kis wa Yako said Zuma had merely cut and pasted his previous speeches.

ANC regional task team campaigns and organising head Thobile Mhlahlo said the speech gave him hope.

“What he said is what [mayor] Danny Jordaan said when he got here about wasteful expenditure,” he said.