Businessman and former ANC leader Mathews Phosa on Thursday evening took a swipe at President Jacob Zuma’s comments that the ANC comes first.
“The country and its people must come first,” Phosa said in his keynote address at the 13th Annual Business Awards in Kempton Park. He said no organisation or individual must come before South Africa.
Phosa’s comments come as Zuma was at pains to explain and justify his comments at the ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference earlier this month. His utterances also took centre stage when Zuma appeared in parliament for this year’s last presidential question and answer session.
Phosa said leaders should not compromise ethics and democracy. He said South Africa’s path to success was through the Bill of Rights.
In a wide-ranging speech, Phosa, a former Treasurer General of the ANC and Mpumalanga Premier, urged South Africa to form a united front against corruption and poverty.
He said South Africans should work together towards “a single and all encompassing” goal making South Africa a better place for all. He said the South African economy should transform into a vibrant and advanced economy “where unemployment is no longer entrenched and poverty endemic”.
Phosa said “empowerment through education” should be the new slogan for young people. He said success would come through education. “The road to success is not through a limousine, it is through education,” Phosa said.
Source: Fin24
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