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President Jacob Zuma’s response to the debate on Budget Vote 1: The Presidency shows a poor grasp of the seriousness of the crises and issues that face South Africa and its people.

From the energy crisis that promises three more years of load-shedding and job-shedding; to the economy, which has shed 2 million jobs and raised unemployment to 36,1% since President Zuma was elected to office.

While the President continues to joke, more and more South Africans are falling into the clutches of poverty and our society becomes more and more unequal.

Every time the President steps up to the National Assembly podium, the country is left with even less hope and an image of a jester, rather than a leader who has solutions to solving the country’s problems.

Our country is facing an economic crisis under the ANC. And the time for jokes has long past.

The Democratic Alliance is the only party that acknowledges the seriousness of this crisis and is committed to building a society that is underpinned by freedom, fairness and opportunity.

In a country with so much potential, it cannot be right that millions of our people are losing hope in the future. It is for this reason that the DA will continue to fight and work for a better South Africa.

Issued by DA