South Africa: Opposition Blast President Zuma, accusing him of corruption

South African President, Jacob Zuma

Opposition party leaders yesterday took turns to lambast President Jacob Zuma's administration, accusing it of being a far cry from those of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.

In an emotion-charged debate on Zuma's State of the Nation address, DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said Zuma had no standing when it came to the fight against corruption.

COPE president Moisuoa Lekota said the country was "less happy" than when Mbeki was still in office.

They also mocked Zuma's narrative that South Africa "had a good story to tell", with Mazibuko rephrasing it as "a story of greed" and Lekota saying good stories happened under Mandela and Mbeki.

IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi said the dignity that had been enjoyed by political leaders in the country had been eroded since Zuma assumed office.
Mazibuko said she would not hesitate to move for Zuma's impeachment if the public protector found him guilty of wrongdoing in her investigation into his R206-million Nkandla homestead.


Mazibuko said Zuma had no credibility to address the nation on the fight against corruption.

"How can we take the honourable president seriously when he says that 'fighting corruption within the public service is yielding results'?" asked Mazibuko.

"How can he when the R200-million upgrade of his private residence at Nkandla is the gold standard for government corruption in South Africa today?"

But Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor accused the opposition of being negative.

She said it was hellbent on portraying Zuma as a failure, despite impro-vements in the provision of basic education and health services.

Culled from: http://www.timeslive.co.za/