CR slammed but for DA's John

'WORST LEADER EVER', MPS TELL PRESIDENT AS STEENHUISEN PLEDGES SUPPORT

- Itumeleng Mafisa

President Cyril Ramaphosa was lambasted by opposition parties during the debate on his State of the Nation Address (Sona), except by his new ally, DA leader John Steenhuisen.

It was the debate of the first Sona under the government of national unity (GNU) in parliament yesterday.

John Hlophe, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party parliamentary leader, accused Ramaphosa of being "one of the worst leaders of South Africa ever" and recounted the "successes" of two terms of Zuma's presidency.

"President Zuma's vision far exceeded the narrow political obsession the establishment subjected him to," Hlophe said.

Hlophe described Ramaphosa's Sona as full of empty promises that would never be fulfilled.

He spent most of his time on the floor paying tribute to party leader Jacob Zuma.

"During his tenure as head of state, president Zuma never told lies. He never claimed easy victories, but prioritised the work on the ground and delivered services to our people," Hlophe said.

His comments caused some parliamentarians to grumble in the background.