Parliament, Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma's leadership has led to improved service delivery, ANC Chief Whip Mathole Motshekga said on Wednesday.
Speaking on the president's budget vote in the National Assembly, Motshekga said Zuma had bettered the government's delivery successes since 1994.
This had been done through improved access to education and formal housing, and the expansion of primary healthcare, electricity provision and access to water services.
“The economy has grown and is more diverse today than in 1993, and public revenues have increased,” said Motshekga.
“Though divisions of race, gender and class remain, reflected in inequality across these lines, the ANC government’s policies are ensuring that we steadfastly work to remove such inequalities,” he said.
The building of a South Africa based on strong and positive principles and value features strongly in Motshekga's speech.
He said the worldwide recognition that Africa was the cradle of humanity gave the country the unique opportunity to be a major role player in nation-building and the promotion of unity in diversity on the continent.
South African society was made up of African, Asian and European streams of history and culture, all of which needed to be protected and respected,” he said, adding that colonial exploitation had “wounded the African psyche”.
“The social ills, such as drug and alcohol abuse, the murder and rape of the elderly and teenagers, and teenage pregnancies are a manifestation of the wounds on the psyche of black people in particular that still needs to be healed,” said Motshekga
Earlier on in his address, he called on South Africans to take a moment to send their thoughts and prayers to ailing former president Nelson Mandela, whose poor health was a “painful” reality.
“Millions across the world share our love for Madiba and I am sure that he is kept in everyone's prayers. We wish the family much strength during this difficult time,” said Motshekga.
Reference was made to Mandela's 100 days speech to Parliament in 1994, in which he said: “Down the years, human society has pitted itself against the pestilences of poverty, disease and ignorance. Progress has been achieved while reverses have also been sustained.
“It is incumbent on South Africa to be in the company of those who have recorded more success than failure.”
It was because of Mandela's vision that MPs should debate the presidency's budget in a way which was in the public interest, and which lived up to the mandate given to public representatives by millions of South Africans, said Motshekga. - Sapa