Leaders describe Zuma's speech as 'dismal' and 'misleading'

President Jacob Zuma's state-of-the-nation address misled the public, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said.

This "misleading" picture needed to be dealt with. Holomisa said Zuma painted a rosy picture of the country, but this was contrary to what was actually seen.

Holomisa said Zuma had no plans to create the number of jobs that he set out to in his address.

"This is an old story, we have heard this noise before," he told reporters.

FF Plus rejects Zuma's 'brag' speech

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder on Thursday labelled President Jacob Zuma's state-of-the-nation address as a "brag speech" with little focus on the future.

"It was a brag speech focused on the elections, I would have liked to hear more about the future," he said.

He welcomed Zuma's announcement of a central tender board to tackle corruption, but was worried this was motivated by the wish to woo voters ahead of the general elections in May.

"If it's such a good country, why are all the municipalities burning?" he asked.

Zuma's speech 'pretty dismal': Mazibuko

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko described President Jacob Zuma's state-of-the-nation address as "pretty dismal" on Thursday.

"He tried to ride on the coat tails of his predecessors. Yes we acknowledge that South Africa is a better place to live in, but is it better than 2009 when [Zuma took office]?"

Mazibuko claimed Zuma had reversed the gains made by his predecessors, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. She said he found "creative ways" to piggy-back off them.

Under Zuma 1.4 million fewer people had jobs. Mazibuko said this could not be called a success.

"It was pretty dismal," she said, referring to his speech.

Lekota gives Zuma speech one out of ten

President Jacob Zuma hoodwinked the nation during his state-of-the-nation address, Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota said on Thursday.

"All the things he said had nothing to do with the reality we know, that we are living in this country," Lekota said.

"How can he say we are winning the battle against corruption when he himself has not even appeared before the courts to account for the many allegations made against him and when he didn't even say anything to us about Nkandla?"

The president failed to mention that poor South Africans were up in arms because of the failures of the ANC-led provinces, he said.

"Maybe the people around him misled him into thinking he can hoodwink the whole nation delivering a speech like that. It's a speech that really insults the intelligence of the people of this country."