Durban – President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to the scathing criticism he received from opposition parties on Wednesday, calling on South Africans to look beyond the rhetoric and see that the government is leading far-reaching reforms.
EFF deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, and DA leader, John Steenhuisen, were speaking during a debate by MPs on Wednesday on the Presidency budget tabled by Ramaphosa in the National Assembly.
Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa had made several promises during his inauguration speech four years ago to end poverty in South Africa within a generation. He said every school child would be able to read and everyone who wanted to work would have a reasonable opportunity to find employment.
“Soaring rhetoric, to be sure. But instead of inspiring hope as they once did, hearing these words today leaves one with an altogether different set of emotions. Despair. Betrayal. Anger.
“However, four years later, the president has broken every single one of the promises he made in his inaugural speech.”
Steenhuisen accused Ramaphosa of being barely interested in the job.
“He promised to end poverty. What he did has increased it dramatically.
“He promised a clean and accountable government. What he did was stuff dollars in his Phala Phala couch,” Steenhuisen said.
Ramaphosa had plunged the country into stage six load shedding, “because corrupt cadres have to eat while the people starve”.
“What he did caused our currency to lose over 40% of its value against the dollar since the day he was inaugurated.
“He promised that every school child would be able to read. What he did has increased illiteracy, to the point where 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning.”
Shivambu said that the Phala Phala report, that Ramaphosa had declined to challenge, made serious findings against him.
"Let us get a proper inquiry. Let us deal with it, let us confront it. We can’t hide it under the sofa forever, let us deal with it. And also, you are not going to be president forever."
On Thursday Ramaphosa responded saying: “Look beyond the self-serving rhetoric from the opposition benches, look beyond the immediate crises and the negative commentary, and it is possible to see a government that is leading far- reaching reforms that will fundamentally change South Africa for the better.
“As this Presidency, we are aware of the great difficulties our country faces. We recognise the weaknesses in many parts of the state. We are prepared to own up to our shortcomings and work to correct them.”