Progress made since South Africa's first democratic elections has been reversed under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma, the DA said on Tuesday.

"It is clear that the nation's current leaders are not able to provide the leadership required to continue that progress," Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said in a statement.

Zuma released the country's 20-year review document in Pretoria earlier in the day.

Zille said he highlighted progress made since 1994 under the leadership of former president Nelson Mandela and former president Thabo Mbeki, but failed to show what he himself had achieved.

"[He] disingenuously bracketed his term in office with that of his predecessors because he knows that the Jacob Zuma presidency is not a good story to tell," said Zille.

She said the country's political economy was now marred by corruption and declining accountability.

Unemployment and corruption became worse since Zuma took office and the gross domestic product had shown a decline, Zille said.

"The problem is not South Africa - the nation is strong, but the government is weak."

Zille said her party had the ability to turn things around.