Cape Town – "You may want to condemn President Jacob Zuma for a whole number of things, but let’s also focus on the phenomenal progress South Africa has made," said Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament on Wednesday.
South Africa’s infrastructure development is "second to none" on the continent and this fact is recognised by other African leaders, he said.
"That is why President Zuma was asked to chair the infrastructure trajectory and champion infrastructure development on the continent."
READ: We need leaders who put the interests of citizens first - Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa was responding to a question from Michael Cardo from the Democratic Alliance (DA) who asked the Deputy President if he thought Zuma is a so-called "selfless" leader.
(At the World Economic Forum on Africa held in Durban in May, Ramaphosa said in an address that Africa requires more "selfless leaders" who don’t put their own interests first but govern on behalf of their people.)
In his response in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ramaphosa did not answer directly whether he thought Zuma was indeed a "selfless leader", but said the ANC has its own process to "institutionalise" good leadership.
"These processes may be great, or they may be flawed. But give recognition to the ANC’s ability to deal with its problems as a living organism. The governing party has a plethora of wise men and women who know how to charge the party forward."
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