Cape Town - Political parties on Wednesday made renewed calls for government to tighten the fight against corruption in order to ensure the effective implementation of the country's new growth path.
In a second day of the debate on President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address, delivered last week, both the Democratic Alliance and COPE said while they welcomed government's bold infrastructure plans to grow the economy, they were worried about the rampant corruption in both the public and private sector.
COPE MP Makhosazana Njobe said while Zuma's announcement of a major infrastructure plan to create jobs was very bold, corruption could undermine all these efforts.
"Mr President we are concerned that some of the plans may not be fulfilled if the standard of public service is not improved and the rampant corruption is not addressed. It is common knowledge that corruption is still considered as a way of life in our country in both the public and the private sector and this needs to be dealt with," Mjobe said.
COPE wanted the level of fraud and corruption in state procurement to be dealt with more harshly while criminal cases should be investigated thoroughly. The party was also not happy with the fact that many "connected political leaders" were doing business with the state.
The Democratic Alliance's Wolmart James said the party welcomed the involvement of the private sector in the infrastructure plan but cautioned that South Africa may have to borrow huge sums of money to fund the envisaged projects.
"As we talk about these plans, the DA further calls on the government to train more maths and science teachers if we are to have the necessary skills needed."
Earlier Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said the ANC believed government's undertakings in the SONA were a clear indication of "the urgency of demands of the people of and mandate confronted by government".
"The problems of South Africa are not of this government alone. They require all of us to make our contribution...they are not as easy to respond to. They need a return to intellectual responses. The massive infrastructure plan as announced by the President is a small part of endeavours that we are implementing to address the challenges facing our country such as unemployment," Pandor said.
The ACDP also commended Zuma on the announcements he made last week, particularly regarding jobs.
"While we are of the view that the challenge we will face would be to finance the projects, we welcome the President's announcements and vision," said ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe.
It was crucial that the State ensures that there was sufficient skills base to ensure the successful implementation of the infrastructure plan that would create the needed jobs.
Zuma is scheduled to deliver his reply to the debate in the National Assembly on Thursday.
