Hon Speaker and hon members, the input by hon members Dandala, Ndude, Kotsi and George of Cope all indicate that we have no confidence in the current government and we intend to move, in due course, for a debate of no confidence. Similar to the inputs of the rest of the opposition parties, they all agreed that the President is not aware of the true state of the nation.
We hope that adequate time for meaningful and substantive debate will be made available by Parliament. I will not dwell much on the legacy of Madiba since this has been covered by many speakers. The hosting of the world in a free South Africa for the Fifa World Cup tournament will be a historic tribute to the struggles and sacrifice of this great leader. Long may this icon live.
However, I was astounded at how suddenly P W Botha, someone who killed many of our people in raids across what were then frontline states, is now being feted as a hero. Someone who sent countless young white South Africans against their will to Angola and Namibia is now a hero to the party of liberation.
This is an affront, not only to those who died, but also to those who were sent to jail for refusing to be conscripted into the army. No wonder the ruling party now wants to pardon Prime Evil, Janusz and Derby-Lewis!
In May 2009, Mr President, you were ushered into office amidst a huge fanfare where even your opponents were forced by the overwhelming occasion and its subsequent reception to reluctantly give you the benefit of the doubt.
We wished you success in the service of our people. You arrived like a well- oiled steam engine ready to take off with all on board. You pronounced a destination that the Zuma train was going to take with very little evidence that you could get there. You nevertheless seemed convincing to many.
Nine months down the line the Zuma train is still at the same station, the same platform, with the same passengers, with exactly the same intentions. The only promise is that it will now be faster. How is it that a train that is at a standstill can move faster? This remains a mystery to me. The truth is: The train has ground to a halt.
Cope warned at the time that there was an enormous difference between the tough reality of the harsh economic conditions and a political party fantasy. It is this reality that forced you to shy away from any substantive input in addressing the real state of the nation. This absence in action has been the hallmark of the last nine months, while this great nation is crying out for inspirational and decisive leaders.
A close examination of your understanding of the state of the nation gives an impression of a President who is not in touch with the realities of our people. We have previously warned that we must never play politics with the plight of our suffering people.
Whereas the ANC promised South Africans quality, decent jobs they are now being told to be content with part-time jobs. I am not going to get into a discussion about these part-time jobs. The truth, though, is that it is one thing to stand on an economic platform. You can shout until you are deaf, but the reality is that South Africans were promised, in a manifesto, decent jobs.
When we asked for accountability, 900 000 jobs have been lost. South Africans are told to be content with these part-time jobs of one day, one month, three months or six months, that have been created. That is not what South Africans were promised.
In fact, the Minister of Trade and Industry said something which I agree with. He says:
... the unemployment problem we face in South Africa is ... structural rather than cyclical ...
Yet where is the plan that shows that we are now intending to tackle this issue in that aspect? We are told that we must look for it somewhere. We were looking for it in the state of the nation address.
The workers of South Africa were told that we will safeguard their jobs. Cosatu correctly raises the issue of Zakumi. The Zakumi contract has been given to an ANC Member of Parliament who has outsourced these needed jobs of South African workers to China. The ANC is quiet on this matter. Why? Is there a benefit that the ANC is getting from this issue? Why are they quiet? Cosatu raised it. It is your ally and you kept quiet. An ANC Member of Parliament exports jobs and we keep quiet. We shall not keep quiet; we shall not be curbed!
The wage subsidy idea which was raised is not new. Minister Manuel knows that it is not new and it has been raised from this podium before. It is neither a new idea nor a new rabbit.
As regards the issue of protests we cannot rejoice when people protest. But it is one thing to go to Balfour and say that we will sort out your problem and then go away. People wait and then nothing happens. Because a political solution was found to the problem in Khutsong, when people burnt schools and said they were not going to school, the SACP and the ANC cheered and kept quiet. Now they think that is the way to go everywhere else.
I don't need to do so. The ANC in Gauteng has said these actions are instigated by the SACP. That is what the ANC said. It is not me. Go and ask David Makhura; that is what he said.
In conclusion, we don't have to visit the Presidential Hotline call centre to know that it is not functioning. We just have to call the hotline centre to receive the standard answer, "We are experiencing large volumes of calls. Please call later".
Lastly, before I sit down, Mr President, it is important to say that the message of ABC has been dealt a fatal blow. It is now very difficult for all of us to speak about, "Abstain, be faithful and condomise". Thank you.