PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has failed in office and should no longer be entrusted with running the country.
This is the view of the DA, which scored Zuma an F in its annual cabinet report card.
Releasing the report card in parliament yesterday, DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said a number of factors had contributed to Zuma's dismal rating. These included:
â– Lacklustre state response to tensions leading up to the Marikana tragedy;
â– The ruling by the Constitutional Court that Zuma's appointment of Menzi Simelane as head of the National Prosecutions Authority was "irrational" and "invalid";
â– Upgrades to Zuma's Nkandla home, reportedly valued at R250-million; and
â– A lack of economic policy direction, resulting in a downgrade of South Africa by credit rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Moody's.
"This is a president who does not have one singular achievement to his name other than keeping himself in office. He has failed both his office and South Africa and should no longer be entrusted with the Presidency," the DA said.
The DA scored Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe a "C" and praised "his dedication to the c onstitution" and "an honest approach" in dealing with the challenges facing the government.
It said, however, that Motlanthe should "get off the fence" and articulate his policy preference much more clearly and do more to "crack the whip" as leader of government business in parliament.
Other ministers who scored an F include State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, who was accused of driving an "unconstitutional" Secrecy Bill agenda; Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who, the DA says, has presided over the "militarisation of an increasingly violent police force". Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant, who was described as having been absent during a number of big labour disputes, also got an F.
Interestingly, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga scored a D despite a year which was marked by her department's failure to deliver crucial textbooks to Limpopo pupils.
DA federal chairman Wilmot James said Motshekga's heart was in the right place. He said her department was mostly a policy implementation driver that was let down by dysfunctional provinces.
Other top performers, in the DA's view were Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Naledi Pandor in her previous portfolio of Science and Technology. Both scored an A.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and Tourism Minister Martinus van Schalkwyk all scored a B.
Cabinet spokesman Phumla Williams rejected the DA's scorecard, saying the government had its own evaluation and monitoring system to police the performance of ministers.
"Cabinet ministers have entered into performance agreements with the president, not the media or any political party," she said.
Williams said the government's performance cycle was linked to its financial year, which runs from April to March.
"This is clearly a deliberate attack on the government," Williams said.
