• Zuma dismisses any idea of ‘failed state’:

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has dismissed suggestions that the country is headed in the wrong direction and is degenerating into a “failed state”.

Instead, a relaxed and buoyant Zuma has accused opposition MPs of being drugged by negative propaganda and neglecting their parliamentary duties.

Zuma was closing the debate on his budget vote that started on Wednesday‚ in which he was attacked by opposition MPs calling him “President Gupta” as they claimed he was leading the country astray.

The president dismissed allegations that the Gupta family had captured the state as “allegations and rumours”.

Addressing DA MP Sejamotho Motau, who was not present, he said: “South Africa is not on the road to being a failed state – unless you are living in another country‚ a South Africa we don’t know.

“You need to free yourself from your party’s propaganda and honestly track the progress South Africa is making. You will feel proud to have been a leader during this period in our democratic transition‚” Zuma said.

He said things would be better for Motau if he left the “propaganda world and came to a truthful world”.

Zuma was addressing a half-full National Assembly chamber as the DA‚ EFF‚ COPE and the UDM boycotted the session.

Only smaller parties like the NFP‚ IFP‚ Freedom Front Plus and the AIC attended.

Zuma slammed the parties for snubbing his debate‚ accusing them of dereliction of duty.

“By the way‚ this is part of the problem.

“You have people who are elected by the people to be in parliament‚ debate‚ make laws‚ but who decide not to come to parliament.

“They are here to say whatever they want.

“We are drugged by our propaganda‚ unfortunately.”

Zuma said state capture was “a big thing” that needed to be addressed through an inquiry.