Following a year of ups and downs, South Africans should look to the future and learn the lessons of the past year.
This was the new year’s message contained in separate statements from the Democratic Alliance and African Christian Democratic Party on Thursday.
”On the one hand, we have achieved high rates of economic growth, setting the stage for job creation and prosperity in years to come.
”On the other hand, we have been forced to acknowledge the spread of corruption in government, the continuing scourge of crime and the failure of the state to deliver basic services to the people,” read a statement from DA leader Tony Leon.
Leon said the most important lesson South Africans should take into the new year was that of choices.
He said President Thabo Mbeki had made the correct choice in dismissing former deputy president Jacob Zuma but there were many choices the government had failed to make.
Encouraging South Africans to take greater control of their destiny, he urged them to carefully exercise their choices and vote in the upcoming local government elections.
The upcoming elections were also on the ACDP’s new year agenda, with the party saying many municipalities were failing to deliver due to corrupt and inefficient councils.
”Good growth can be translated into job opportunities if the right policies and programmes are chosen by government,” the party said in a statement.
”We can have a country that has low crime. It is possible to reduce unemployment. South Africa can be a country that protects its women and children. It is possible to reduce the Aids pandemic.”
The ACDP also urged South Africans to get out and vote in the upcoming elections. – Sapa