Madam Speaker
Madam Chairperson
President and Deputy President
Honourable Members
Fellow South Africans

In die boek Kringe in ‘n Bos, geskryf deur Dalene Matthee, het ek ‘n interresante lesing gekry. Mense het vir jare geglo dat ‘n bloubokkie anders is as gewone bokkies – dat die bloubokkie se gal in sy kop sit.

Die hoofkarakter, Saul, het toe eendag ‘n bloubokkie geslag en gevind dat die bloubokkie se gal glad nie in sy kop sit nie, maar op die gewone plek net soos ander bokkies.

Dít was die oomblik toe Saul agtergekom het dat óf die grootmense het opsetlik vir hom gelieg óf hulle het self die lieg geglo.

This reminded me of the ANC, and the insidious corruption and patronage which has crept into the organisation.

Ek wil dus Dalene Mathee se hoofkarakter parafraseer, “óf die ANC lieg opsetlik vir ons óf hulle glo self die lieg!”

Either you deliberately lied or you believe the lies yourself!

Honourable Chairperson, the President failed to inspire in his speech. The President missed an opportunity to challenge Provincial and Local Government to introduce cost-cutting measures during their State of Province or Town addresses. In the Free State provincial address, Premier Ace Magashule did not mention cost-cutting measures once! Mr. President, the Gauteng province has the biggest GDP in the country. How are you planning to turn the economy around when you and the Premier of Gauteng have a dysfunctional relationship?

Mr. President, while we welcome the cost-cutting measures you have announced last week, we want to urge you Mr President – be brave! Wees dapper!

Usually the Presidency includes the message of our youth around the country in his SONA address, but the President was not brave enough to face the youth because he had no more empty promises to offer.

In the DA-governed Western Cape Province, we say “NO” to politicians conducting business with government, “NO” to expensive and unnecessary vehicles and “NO” to sponsored government credit cards.

My colleague, Mr Solly Msimanga, has promised the Tshwane Metro that a DA government will ensure access to basic services, a smart metering system that will allow residents to control their water consumption, and the use of green technology like solar lighting.

My colleague, Mr Herman Mashaba, has promised the Johannesburg Metro that a DA government will tear up the by-laws that restrict small business growth in our first 100 days in government, and assist home owners with receiving title deeds.

My colleague and DA Mayor for Midvaal, Mr. Bongani Baloyi, has already proven the strength of a DA government – not only is Midvaal ranked as having the best provision of water and sanitation in Gauteng, with no backlogs according to Statistics South Africa, it has the lowest unemployment rate in Gauteng. Midvaal is the top performing municipality in Gauteng in the 2014 Annual Municipal Financial Sustainability Index and it received a clean audit for the 2013-14 financial year.

Agbare President, ek borrel oor van die idee van ‘n DA Gauteng! Especially the people of Westrand where I myself come from.

Híérdie mense, agbare President, is dapper! Die burgers van Suid Afrika ken die ANC se leuns en elke dag leer kiesers die waarheid.

The lies range from Nkandla costs, Gupta family dealings and so-called plans for job creation in South Africa.

Minister Sisulu, the ANC has failed to address the huge gap between the rich and the poor. Instead, the cabinet have enriched themselves heavily. You are loaded with cash, mostly through corruption – money that was meant to build our economy.

Mr. President, the people of South Africa have slaughtered their own bloubokkie. They know the true state of the nation. They don’t believe the ANC’s lies anymore.

Are you deliberately lying to the nation or do you actually believe the lies yourselves?

The truth, Mr. President is that a DA city is a freer city, a fairer city, a city of opportunities.

Halala, DA, Halala!