While President Kgalema Motlanthe's State of the Nation address did not find much favour with some opposition parties on Friday, it was hailed as a step in the right direction by the country's biggest trade union federation.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said she was disappointed Motlanthe had used the occasion to deliver what she called an ANC election speech.

"A State of the Nation address should look forward to the future. It should reassure the nation that the government has a comprehensive and carefully-considered programme of action to meet the challenges which face us," she said.

Motlanthe's speech, by contrast, spent too much time looking to the past.

He had delivered a selective and partisan history lesson when, instead, he should have focused more on how his government planned to grow the economy, crack down on crime and corruption, and address the crises in public education and healthcare.

However, Zille relented slightly, adding that Motlanthe deserved credit for acknowledging the global economic meltdown posed serious dangers for the economy.

"This is the first time that he has pronounced on the matter," she said.

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said Motlanthe's speech was not surprising.

"The UDM notes that many of the promises and commitments he has made are not new.

"While the president's effort to inspire hope is commendable, he has failed to indicate how the policy goals he talked about will be achieved now, if the ANC government has consistently failed to do so in the past.

"For instance, how will his often-stated commitment to fighting corruption and crime be implemented when leaders of his party are dodging their day in court?" Holomisa asked.

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, on the other hand, welcomed Motlanthe's "honesty on the challenges we are facing as a nation".

"As usual, however, the question is whether we have the skills and the will within government and the public service to implement these plans.

"The president also said his government has made the fight against corruption 'one of the core areas of focus', but we in the Independent Democrats disagree with this.

"All of our people will know that the ANC as a party and as a government has covered up and very often rewarded those accused and found guilty of corruption," she said.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder criticised Motlanthe for not providing enough detail in his address.

"It is clear that this detail is being kept for the new president after the election and that Mr. Motlanthe sees himself merely as a transitional president.

"The FF Plus welcomes the fact that there is indeed a task team that is paying attention to the world-wide economic crisis and how it will be affecting South Africa.

"Without detail of the plan it is, however, difficult to judge whether this plan will succeed to prevent South Africa from ending in the same economic depths in which various foreign countries are," he said.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions welcomed Motlanthe's speech, saying it committed the country to policies that would see it through the looming economic crisis.

"The speech commended the ANC government's achievements since 1994, but was frank about the massive challenges we still face. There was no denialism about the problems we face, such as the levels of poverty and inequality.

"[It] provided an excellent framework for policies to meet these problems, and we look forward to a lot more detail on how we are going to meet these challenges in the Budget speech on February 11, and in the stimulus package being hammered out in Nedlac, which will be finalised at the Joint Presidential Working Group on February 19," it said.

The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) also lauded Motlanthe for highlighting the many socio-economic issues close to the hearts of all South Africans.

"He succeeded in instilling a sense of hope for the future amidst the global economic crisis, by focusing on improving the overall state of our nation," Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said.

Fedusa further welcomed the intention to invest R690 billion in public sector investments.

This will give the economy a major cash injection that would help to sustain jobs, grow the economy and prevent retrenchments through this difficult economic period, he said.