8 May 2009

President-elect Jacob Zuma on Wednesday marked his election with a conciliatory speech, reaching out to opposition parties, hoping for a kinder, gentler relationship than has been the case in the past.

He also promised that a busy five years lay ahead as his government endeavours to deliver "faster change". He promised to be more hands-on and more accessible.

He undertook to fulfil the five priority targets the African National Congress (ANC) has set itself. He listed them as education, health, land reform and rural development, the fight against crime and creating decent work.

"We are determined to leave an indelible mark in these five areas," he said, and he added: "Our most immediate priority is to respond decisively to the challenges posed by the global economic downturn.

"We must move quickly," he said, "to implement the framework agreed by the government, business and labour to protect jobs and boost the economy."

To the opposition parties he said: "We also intend to start a new chapter in relations between government and opposition. We reiterate that it should be possible to work with opposition parties on issues that are in the national interest.

"While appreciating a robust opposition, we also trust that we are able to move slightly away from the dogmatic approach that turns every issue into a contestation among parties."

He said to loud applause that he looks forward to reconciliation between the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the ANC.

"On the side of the executive," the new president-elect told the house, "we will also need to try and avoid being over-defensive and not view every criticism from the opposition in a negative light. We can surely be able to build a working relationship that emphasises oversight, but also allows cooperation where necessary."

Opposition MPs congratulating him on his election, also looked forward to a cooperative future. One MP from the Minority Front, Royith Bhoola, went so far as to make an outrageous pitch for his leader, Amichand Rajbansi, to be given a job in Zuma's government.

Mangosuthu Buthelezi for the IFP said -- in a statement read for him by the party's secretary general Musa Zondi -- that the country's greatest primary task is to put people to work.

"I realise that this task cannot be accomplished without sacrifices and changes in our mindset because of the conflicts of the past," he said.

"We hope that this is the time for the country to unite around a common purpose, if this nation is to fulfil its destiny."

Pieter Mulder, the leader of the Freedom Front Plus, congratulated him and recalled the words of Muhammad Ali, the world heavyweight boxing champion, which he said are applicable here.

Ali said: "In your pursuit of success there will be hundreds of set-backs. Remember, a heavyweight match is 15 rounds. If you lose a few rounds, or even get knocked down, it doesn't matter, as long as you get up and eventually win.

"The same in life."

He was roundly applauded by the government benches for this, as he was when he followed it up by saying: "According to Jeremy Gordin, in his Zuma biography, he wrote that in the living room of the rondavel of Sizakele Zuma, Zuma's first wife, there are a number of pictures and other mementos hanging on the wall.

"One framed and decorated with roses reads: 'I wish a long life to my enemies so that they may all see my successes'. You will understand the significance of that." -- I-Net Bridge