Cape Town - Crime was the focal point on the second day of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate.
DA MP Andrew Whitfield put it to President Cyril Ramaphosa that “South Africans are less safe today than they were when you came to office – and that’s a fact”.
Whitfield said the government was run by an ANC that oversaw political killings, which had become the order of the day.
“What example are criminals to follow if not the example of their own government?” Whitfield asked, adding that murders had dramatically increased by 20% since Ramaphosa had assumed office.
Whitfield said although Ramaphosa had embraced the idea of a technology-driven SAPS, 10111 telephone lines were dysfunctional, police had no body cams and there were no drones hovering above criminals.
“So bad is your minister (Bheki Cele) that he stood here yesterday and told the house that 4909 people were arrested for gender-based violence-related crimes as though it was some sort of a victory,” Whitfield said.
He said 57102 women were victims of violent crimes last year. “We need results, and you could start by firing your minister (Cele),” he concluded.
African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe said his late wife was particularly unhappy about crime and Eskom’s rolling blackouts.
National Council of Provinces’ ANC MP and chief whip Seiso Mohai said the parties that had criticised Ramaphosa a day earlier were “grandstanding”.
Focusing on the general state of the country, DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said: “I fear the trappings of power and the cushion of executive office has left us with a head of state that is completely out of touch with the real issues that South Africans face.
“Sir, people are forced to make choices that are beyond your grasp.”
She said people have had to make choices between a meal or a taxi fare; and buying electricity or paying for a child’s bus fare.
Standing committee on public accounts chairperson IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa said Ramaphosa had erred by announcing an electricity minister as it was “duplicating political bureaucracy”.
“What is clear is that every time your ministers don’t perform, instead of firing them you protect them by taking things into the Presidency. Be decisive, Mr President, fire them,” Hlengwa said.
soyiso.maliti@inl.co.za