Zuma to 'focus on bigger picture'

11 February 2010 - 02:00
By Anna Majavu

PEOPLE hoping to find out exactly how their lives will improve after President Jacob Zuma's second State of the Nation speech tonight are likely to be disappointed.

Minister of Performance Evaluation and Monitoring Collins Chabane said Zuma's speech in Parliament at 7pm tonight would be "forward looking", but that Zuma would not go into details about burning issues.

Zuma will speak on government's five priorities - education, health, creating jobs, fighting crime and rural development.

In his speech, Zuma will also reinforce government's message on HIV and Aids.

The President will not say whether he has granted any presidential pardons, nor will he say whether Eskom may increase the price of electricity by 35percent.

"I am not sure if the President will go into details about what will be the best price for electricity. I think he will focus on the big picture," said Chabane.

The President is also not likely to tell the public exactly what has happened to the promised National Health Insurance.

But Zuma will give an account of what government has done to deal with the economic recession.

Last year Zuma promised to create 500000 jobs by year-end - a target that government did not meet.

But Chabane said Zuma would not announce new job creation targets tonight.