The Zuma Debacle

Another year, another state of the nation address. The man of the hour, President Jacob Zuma, addressed the members of Parliament last night in the midst of his current baby daddy scandals. And the welcome was far from warm. Opposition leaders are calling his speech shallow and lacking in vision and I can't help but agree.

There was a precious lack of detail, assertions and commitments were spewed and by the end of the evening no one knew exactly how these plans are going to be executed.The questions are being asked and the answers are vague to say the least. This is a concern for everyone, including the ordinary working class South African. Some are even going as far as to say that it was the worst state of the nation address to be heard. Harsh words that no doubt will be challenged, as we know how politicians love the mud slinging game.

As hollow as this speech was, some of the South African population were hoping to hear what the big man himself had to say about his current scandalous situation. They were to be sorely disappointed, mum was the word with Mr President. The Closest he came to the issue was when he wished 2010 Fifa World Cup local organizing committee chairperson Irvin Khoza all the best for the upcoming months. This caused some mirth among opposition ranks, as laughter spread through the chamber. A stoney-faced Zuma continued his address. Khoza's daughter, Sonono, is the mother of the four-month old child in question.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille, was also peeved about Zuma's failure to provide details of the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, announced some considerable time ago. Zuma also played it safe by not referring at all to the issue of nationalization, a hot topic and source of some mudslinging by the ANC Youth League at senior ANC and SA Communist Party leaders, even Cabinet ministers.

One things for sure, this year is going to be interesting as skeletons come out of the closest and the government scrambles to make good on their promises. Watch this space.....