President Jacob Zuma
Photo by: Duane Daws
President Jacob Zuma devoted much of his January 8th statement on Saturday to talking about corruption, saying there was a misperception that the ANC was largely responsible for it.
"It cannot be, it is another misrepresentation of fact," he said at the party's 103rd anniversary rally at Cape Town stadium.
Zuma said the ANC government had been unique in its attempts to root out corruption in the public service.
"We cannot allow the scourge of corruption that eats at the fabric of our society and constrains economic development [to continue].
"The ANC must continue to lead in ending corruption in the state, the private sector and amongst our own members."
Earlier, Zuma discussed the most pressing challenge facing the government in the year ahead -- notably Eskom's capacity problems.
"Our country needs creative and pragmatic solutions to guarantee security of supply for our energy needs."
Zuma said government would continue to explore alternative options in nuclear, gas and renewable energy.
"The ANC is therefore putting energy as one of our apex priorities."
Turning to social challenges, Zuma said land remained a pressing concern for the ANC.
"Land has been at the heart of the historic injustice of dispossession and the stripping of the dignity of the African people.
"We commit that the land will return to our people and the ANC calls on its government to act with necessary speed to put the legislation in place, this year, to ensure that this happens."
However, he said that expropriation would be done in line with the Constitution and, hand in hand with this, would be decisive steps to prevent farm evictions.