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Today’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) State of the Province Address (SOPA) by substitute Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube was too little too late from an ANC government that has betrayed the people of our province.

Today, the citizens of KZN deserved an honest assessment of the true state of our province. They deserved to hear how this ANC-run government plans to address the vast number of challenges that exist. They did not get this.

Instead, they got one of the worst SOPAs in recent history, one that degenerated into a circus, with two EFF members removed from the House by SAPS after causing chaos in a pathetic attempt to remain relevant.

Regrettably, the disorder led to the exit of the Zulu King, Misuzulu kaZwelithini, who was also present to hear what the Premier had to say.

Instead of a proper SOPA, the people of KZN got a thinly-disguised ANC pre-election campaign speech with more grand plans including a smart coastal city, summits and war rooms. This is while many of the plans announced by the Premier's predecessors are yet to be implemented.

They got more empty promises from an ANC-run government that cannot even get the basics right.

They got a SOPA where so-called ANC leaders dressed up in their finery. This is while people in our province are without water, without work and – most importantly – without hope.

Before today’s SOPA, the DA outlined eight key areas where we expected the Premier – to provide solutions. These were;

• Infrastructure collapse and KZN’s water and sewage crisis
• The abysmal state of municipal service delivery
• KZN’s crime epidemic including politically-motivated killings
• Growing unemployment and the absence of an economic recovery plan
• Ongoing cadre deployment corruption
• The collapse of KZN’s roads and the lack of a plan to address this
• Runaway over-expenditure within critical provincial government departments and;
• An alternate energy plan for KZN

Today, the Premier highlighted many of these challenges, yet failed to provide concrete solutions.

While it all looked good on paper, at the heart of the problem remains a crippling lack of political will. This as a result of an ANC in KZN that is inherently self-serving and a party at war with itself. Ultimately, KZN’s people are the biggest losers.

Yesterday, during his Address, the Zulu Monarch made a pointed comment about conscious leadership linked to morals and integrity. The reality is that KZN has not been able to create the capable state that the King spoke about because these very virtues are missing.

The DA’s growth currently places it in a position where it is a viable alternative to govern in 2024. Our offer to the people of KZN puts their needs first, prioritises their safety and creates economic prosperity leading to jobs and services. This will be outlined during next weeks’ SOPA Debate.

The time has come to rebuild our beloved province. This could be our last chance.

Issued by Francois Rodgers, MPL - Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature