Constructive opposition

Ineither. F PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address last week was a damp squib, the debate in Parliament this week over his address was hardly more uplifting.

Opposition parties got together to co-ordinate their response but, instead of persuading the watching nation by presenting an inspiring vision, they mostly settled for carping and petty politicking.

Ministers and ANC MPs dutifully batted for their man and delivered predictable, sometimes ludi- crous, praise songs to the president. Ministers Trevor Manuel, Lindiwe Sisulu and Ebrahim Patel stood out, not because they were particularly lyri- cal orators, but at least had something to say that was worth hearing.

For two days Zuma listened to the orchestrated attack on him.

It amounted to a lost opportunity for opposition MPs who could have presented measured views worthy of debate and, nearly 20 years after the ad- vent of democracy, depicted what future they envisaged for our land at a time when unemployment, poverty and uneven access to opportunities have deepened inequality .

Instead this was left to Zuma to address at the end of the debate.

Zuma took aim at the “joint opposition”, saying it betrayed the parties’ supporters who had cast their ballots for one party only to now find their party was pushing another’s position. He also pointed out the need for the opposition to be critical but loyal. He had a point. No one needs kow-towing to the ruling party from the opposition benches. But rather than unedifying sniping, it is incumbent on the opposition to raise the level of debate and contribute to finding solutions for the nation. This week’s debate did