Hon Deputy Speaker, Mr President, Mr Deputy President and Members of Parliament, we are a nation in mourning. We mourn for our young people, who are simply a lost generation. Former President Mandela's health prevents him from continuing to inspire the youth with hope for a better life for all. Former President Mbeki is no longer reminding youth of how great it is to be an African born on this land. All this country is left with now is the President, who is at the forefront of the government that robs its youth of the future.
Our youth are being robbed of the opportunity to be educated. They are taught to know at least 30% of their curriculum in order for them to pass matric. For 12 years, these young people have been institutionalised and brainwashed, only for them to discover that there is no future for them even with those matric certificates. Once they have passed matric, the government developed an attitude of "Don't call us, we will call you", because all those jobs promised have not materialised.
With the limited access to tertiary institutions, and no jobs available, even the farmers and mines are no longer employing more workers, and this government is forcing young people to turn to crime for survival.
Young people also urge this government to provide leadership and it adds no value if this government is being referred to by people as a living monument of corruption. For months reports have been in the media about Minister Pule and allegedly dodgy dealings with her boyfriend. The President has not provided any immediate leadership regarding this matter. But again, our President has not said a word about the more than R200 million in taxpayers' money that Cabinet deemed fit for the inheritance of the Zuma children.
We always read of the millions being spent on new furniture for houses and offices of Ministers. When it comes to spending the money for the delivery of services, task teams must first be established, only to report on the reasons for the government's inability to deliver. The message to young people by this government is loud and clear: "It is our time to eat, even if we have to eat from the plates of the youth."
The worst of all is the deliberate actions of the President to divide young people on the basis of race. He doesn't understand that he is killing the hope of the young people to live in a united South Africa. First, he allowed racial slurs by Julius Malema in his presence, and just recently the President stated that "Spending money to buy a dog and taking it to the veterinarian and for walks belong to the white culture."
Does the President not know that he must speak out on behalf of animals? This is both a necessity and an obligation. Does the President not know that even the famous Mahatma Gandhi stated that "The greatness of the nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated"?
Former President Mbeki reminded us that being an African is to embrace all cultures in our country, but our current President tells us that it is un- African to have a dog.
The young people of this country are now confused. Will they be African enough if they take care of their dogs, as Mahatma Gandhi and President Mbeki campaigned, or should they follow the colonised thinking of President Zuma and his government? It is quite clear that with President Zuma as the leader of this country, national unity will simply be a pipe dream.
This year, I thought the President would reach out to South Africans and declare war against the crimes that violate the human dignity of our women and children. But the President once again went through the motions of simply making another statement. Scores of crimes committed against our women and children remain unresolved. The killers remain unnamed because the police only turn to action if they have to kill protesters. If the President once again did not provide leadership in the state of the nation address, then for how long must South Africans wait for leadership?
Die land is aan die brand en ons President is besig om op sy pos aan die slaap te raak. [The country is burning and our President is falling asleep at his post.]
Last year, during Child Protection Week, President Zuma urged the community in Kimberley to teach their children about the legacy of colonialism and apartheid. Almost 20 years down democracy lane this government is still not advocating the teaching of the youth about the Constitution and democracy.
Hopefully, with the National Development Plan in place this government will no longer live in the past. The young people of today want to focus on the future and not the past. The President constantly reminding the youth about the past will only divide the youth on the basis of race.
Soos ek ges het, die land is aan die brand en die regering moet wakker slaap. Suid-Afrikaners is besig om weg te beweeg van die verlede en stem nou vir die toekoms. Ons kan nie stories van haat en apartheid eet nie, maar ons kan wel brood eet as werk voorsien word. Daar hoef nie meer bloed te vloei van oproerige stakers nie, maar wat wel moet vloei, is lopende water in krane. Ons kan nie meer kwaad bly oor sekere mense in ons land wat ryker is as ander nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[As I've been saying, the country is burning and the government has to sleep with one eye open. South Africans are moving away from the past and are now voting for the future. We cannot eat stories about hatred and apartheid, but we can eat bread when jobs are provided. The blood of rebellious strikers does not have to flow anymore, but what has to flow is running tap water. We cannot remain angry about certain people in our country who are richer than others.]
I have no option but to conclude that this government is unfit to govern. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]