President Must Withdraw His Anti-African Comments

Posted by: Jamie-Leigh Matroos October 22, 2013

Johannesburg – The President must withdraw his anti-African comments said Democratic Alliance (DA) Premier candidate Mmusi Maimane. This comes after President Zuma, speaking on Monday night at the ANC’s Manifesto Forum at Wits University, said:

“We can’t think like Africans because we are in Johannesburg and not some national road in Malawi.”

Zuma was speaking about the backlash against e-tolling in Johannesburg. He also added in his speech that the e-tolling system is world standard and that the alternative option, of taxing all South Africans for Gauteng’s roads would be unfair and “put more burden on the already strained fiscus.”

His speech quickly became dubbed the “I am not an African” speech.

The DA has lashed out at the President in response.

“What the President doesn’t realise is Africa is actually developing at a faster pace than he suggests,” said Maimane. “Many governments in African countries have adopted investor friendly policies that create jobs.”

“They are not burdening citizens with double-taxation through an expensive e-tolling system. The President should rather take a leaf out of the books of other African economies that are actually growing faster than us.” he added.

“Who can afford to pay R400 extra every month to drive between Soweto and Midrand,” added Maimane.