Give help to poor, not cronies - Lekota

2011-02-15 20:55

Cape Town - Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota warned on Tuesday that job creation initiatives announced by President Jacob Zuma would be a waste if the money found its way to "tenderpreneurs".

The president said in his state of the nation address that a new jobs fund would disburse R9bn over the next three years, while the manufacturing industry would get R20bn in tax breaks.

Lekota said in the debate on the president's speech: "They (jobs) will not be created if they money the government has set aside goes to people in positions of power."

He said the administration had a duty to use its power to help the poor and not to line the pockets of the well-connected.

"Let's exercise it in the interests of the majority, not the interests of the Johnny-come-latelies who shout but do not know what they speak about."

- SAPA