VOA常速英语2008年-Mbeki: South Africa Challenged But 'Still On Co

By Terry FitzPatrick
Cape¹ Town
08 February 2008

South African President Thabo Mbeki on Friday outlined his plan of action for his final full year in office. He says his country is "still on course," despite a decline in economic growth, widespread electricity blackouts and infighting inside his own ruling party. For VOA, Terry FitzPatrick reports from Cape Town.

The pomp and ceremony was similar to previous State of the Nation addresses. But this year President Thabo Mbeki walked down the red carpet to a different beat. His address to parliament took a more personal tone.

"I am aware of the fact that many in our society are troubled by a deep sense of unease about where our country will be tomorrow," he said.

With his elderly mother watching from the gallery, Mr. Mbeki promised to tell lawmakers "the truth." He conceded South Africa 's electricity shortage was caused by "weak" government planning.

He acknowledged he must speed up the provision of housing, education, health care, water and sanitation². Rather than list successes, as he has done in the past, Mr. Mbeki outlined work still left to be done.

He called for a "War Room" to coordinate³ service delivery for the poor. He outlined plans for an energy efficiency campaign and power plant construction. And he proposed 600 million dollars in tax incentives⁴ for businesses that create jobs.

"Having all that I have said, I come back to the question: what is the state of our nation as we enter 2008. What I do know and herby make bold to say is, whatever the challenges of the moment, we are still on course," Mbeki said.

Opposition⁵ parties give the president mixed reviews. Motsoko Pheko of the Pan Africanist Congress says Mr. Mbeki eased a sense of panic that has gripped some South Africans.

"One of the most important things psychologically is that it reassured⁶ this nation that things are not about to collapse," Pheko said.

But Sandra Botha of Democratic Alliance called Mr. Mbeki's speech "deeply disappointing" on specifics.

"We all came here with a sense of anticipation⁷ that the president is going to address the deep feelings of anxiety that have emerged in South Africa over the past six months," she said. "But his response is business as usual. And it's simply not going to get South Africa out of the trough that it is now going to enter as an account of the failure of government."

The most anticipated reaction came from former deputy president, Jacob Zuma. He was fired by Mr. Mbeki three years ago over corruption⁸ allegations, but last year defeated Mr. Mbeki in a bitter fight for presidency⁹ of the ruling party, the African National Congress. Zuma supported Mbeki's assessment¹⁰ of the state of the nation.

"I think the mood of the country is good," he said. "The president himself said so. What the president said is there are some people who have been raising those kind of issues. But he then answered the question and said what I must tell you is the mood good, we are succeeding.

An opposition party says South Africa 's electricity crisis is so severe that it will call for a vote of no confidence in President Mbeki, aiming to force his resignation. But Zuma, who could be in line to succeed Mr. Mbeki, laughed at the prospect¹¹ of the president resigning.

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

3 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

4 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

11 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。