The South African State President, Jacob Zuma, will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the official opening of the National Parliament for 2015 in Cape Town on Thursday, February 12, evening. He will deliver his address against the background of widespread controversy over his leadership and the Government's apparent failure to tackle a number of challenges facing ordinary South Africans. These include the high rate of unemployment, the ever growing and widening divide between the rich and the poor, the falling standards of education and health services for most South Africans, the pervasive corruption that has gripped politicians and public officials, the run-away crime rate and the daily power outages.
I spoke to South Africans to find out their views and compiled this article:
SOUTH AFRICANS ARE DISILLUSIONED AND DISAPPOINTED
By Subry Govender
President Jacob Zuma and his ruling ANC Government have taken extra-ordinary measures to ensure that his state of the nation address is broadcast widely on television and radio services to reach the masses throughout the length and breadth of the country.
They obviously want to tell the masses that after being in power for the past 21 years they have achieved a great deal and they have their social, economic, educational and health interests at heart.
BUT the disappointment and disillusionment among many South Africans about the social and economic challenges facing the country is so intense that they only want Zuma to rectify the situation rather than provide excuses.
A group of Masters students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal highlighted the frustrations of most young people when they told me on Monday (Feb 9)that Zuma and his ruling ANC must create the opportunities for them to find jobs. They don't want to continue to live as disadvantaged citizens.
"GIVE US INFORMATION FOR JOBS AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES"
Ms Thembi Vandou, 27, who is studying for her Masters in Law degree, said most young people were deeply frustrated at their difficulties in trying to find jobs.
"President Zuma," she said, "just please provide a way for us to know how to access the information in which we are to be getting the employment or having the means to actually sustain ourselves and ways to go about it".
Her friend, Ms Zanele Ndlovu, 28, is studying for her Masters in Tourism.
"I am saying that sometimes young people are prevented from entering work places because of corruption," she said.
"I mean it's not a secret, certain departments we know you need to know a certain somebody in order for you to get in. And for us as young women it becomes extra difficult because some people even request sexual favours. For me those are the two issues I would like to see the Government really tackle and not just say something on paper but in practise that's not what they are doing."
Mr Dumisani Mtethwa, 28, who has finished his Masters in Media Studies and now writing his doctorate, is also frustrated.
"For me I think the Government is actually failing," he said.
"They haven't been doing enough because if you look at the situation they promised to create more job opportunities. Instead of creating job opportunities we have lost so many job opportunities, people have been retrenched from their jobs, for me I think they have not been doing enough."
"YOUNG PEOPLE FED UP"
A 25-year-old public relations consultant, who does consultancy work for the Government in the rural areas of the country, confirms that young people want Zuma to respond to their concerns in his state of the nation address.
"There are young people," she said, "who are actually very fed up who have lost hope in the Government being able to assist us".
"So I want to see the face being regained amongst young people and for them to receive assistance in terms of economic growth and economic development through job creation and as well as support in business growth."
ORDINARY TAX-PAYING SOUTH AFRICANS
Ordinary tax-paying South Africans, for their part, say they are pretty fed up not only with the deterioration of health and education services for the public at large, but also the violent crime and corruption that is overwhelming the country. Now they are also worried about the electricity power outages they are experiencing on a daily basis. Zuma should not say what they have achieved over the past 21 years but what they are doing to overcome the challenges in health, education, corruption and the provision of power.
Mr Vic Ecclesey, a building contractor, told me that Zuma needed to be more in touch with the people.
"It's easy to say you will build schools you will do this, you will improve that but who follows up on what's been done? From last year's speech who knows what's been done?"
ZUMA AND GOVERNMENT "INEPT"
Mr Mike Deborah, a pensioner, said South Africa today faced many social and economical challenges because of what he termed "the ineptness of Zuma and the Government".
"The power outages, the water shortages, education problems, transport problems, the ANC Government and the President do not seem to be getting to grips with these problems at all," he said.
"Normally when the state of the nation address is given they seem to gloss over all the problems and try to focus on what they want to do in the future although most people are cynical of all the promises because they don't seem to come to fruitition."
CORRUPTION A HUGE PROBLEM
Mr Neil Champion, a golf official and former political activist, said Zuma should be given a chance to iron out the problems facing the people. He was especially concerned about the corruption affecting the country.
"He needs to ensure that he appoints people who have to be monitored and fight the corruption that is destroying our country.
"There are people in positions who hold these positions and they forget that what we are building is not for ourselves but for the future of our children. "That's what we fought for and our children's future depends on how the president addresses these issues."
SOUTH AFRICANS BECOMING RESTLESS
A political science lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban - Dr Bheki Mngomezulu - is of the view that South Africans are becoming more and more restless because of the challenges they face in their everyday lives. He highlighted the current power outages and the economic challenges facing the country.
"So those are some of the issues that the President will have to address to allay fears telling the nation that Government is in control," he said.
"But some of the issues have to do with him as a person. There are people saying that he's not fit for office and as a result some opposition parties are even saying that there must be a vote of confidence on the President.
"So he will have to, without necessarily defending himself, will have to demonstrate to the nation that he's in fact hands on."
ECONOMIC FREEDOM
A senior official of the Economic Freedom Fighters (or EFF) in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Reggie Ndlovu, said Zuma should tell the nation how the black majority would be able to take control of the economy of the country.
"Economic freedom in our life time is what we want the President to talk about thoroughly in his state of the nation address," he said.
"We also want to be the participants of all economic institutions that are in existence in the country. We don't want to just eat the crumbs from the white monoply capital. He has to have details around that."
Ndlovu also said it was time Zuma handled the transfer of land to the people.
Zuma and his fellow leaders say they have plans in place for the economic upliftment of the previously disadvantaged and are not concerned about threats by the EFF to disrupt the state of the nation address. They say those who do not follow the rules of the National Parliament will have to face the consequences.
South Africans at large are not too entralled with the threats of disruption of Zuma's state of the nation address. The people want to listen to what Zuma is going to do practically to improve their lives rather than be fixated with what they call "the antics of Julius Malema and his MPs".
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