Cheers and jeers for Zuma’s State of the Nation Address

President Jacob Zuma’s hand gripped his breast whilst singing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika as he prepared for what could be his last State of the Nation Address. A salute of planes crossing the sky and a 21 gun greeting followed, expressing pomp and celebration.

Zuma spent the first part of his speech paying worship to “all that fought for freedom”, with a special reference to Steve Biko and Helen Suzman, and mentioned all the ANC presidents and many others.

Proceeding, Zuma began by highlighting “the great progress” in the fight against AIDS and crime, widening education and healthcare.

Thereafter Zuma began addressing his country’s challenges, including poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Reflecting on the unemployment rate, and the job promises from last year, Zuma reported promising results but blamed failure in meeting last year’s targets on the global economic situation.

Zuma put most emphasis on a huge infrastructure project, which is planned to tackle the unemployment rate. The project included five geographically-focused programs in different sectors.

The first program included development of infrastructure in Limpopo to “unlock the enormous mineral belt of coal, platinum, palladium, chrome and other minerals” and also to shift logistics from road to rail.

The second program included establishing a Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics corridor to improve the Johannesburg – Durban connection and also the export capacity to the harbours.

The third program included developing a “South Eastern Node” to improve the development within the industrial and agricultural sector and the export in the Eastern Cape. The building of a dam along the Umzumvubu river was also mentioned.

The fourth program included upgrading the ten priority roads in the North West and Zuma mentioned increasing the roll-out of roads, rails, electricity and water but without specifying any details.

The fifth program was vague, simply expressing “enormous potential long the West Coast”, without mentioning any details.

Zuma expressed that the project “must industrialise the country, generate skills and boost much needed job creation.”