Disappointment following ANC's January 8 statement

This according to political analyst Karima Brown.

"There was very little new ideas. The president spoke, of course, on a range of ideas touching on the economy, education, unity in the ANC, the fight against factionalism and corruption, and then also the issues around how to manage the ANC's succession race," says Brown.

Brown says it is an important statement that kicks of the political calendar ahead of the State of the Nation Address.

"I think, of late, it is losing some of its significance and that's got to do with the growing of the ANC from its liberation movement to a political, governing party," says Brown.

In her opinion, it is the weakest statement to date.

"I think it's got to do with the fact that the ANC is really at a crossroads. We know that 2016 closed with President Zuma having to fend off a motion of no confidence in his leadership of the party and the ANC having lost the municipal elections in three major metros is used to control," says Brown.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says Zuma's statement was the tell-tale last gasp of a dying organisation.

"It is an out-of-touch and divided party that is unable to self-correct, and is passed the point of no return," says Maimane.

Maimane says one would have expected a humble and introspective reflection on the past year following the municipal elections.

"Rather, we were force-fed another rose-tinted ‘good story’ by a President who has overseen the party’s decimation over the past 7 years. While the rest of the country is looking forward, the ANC can only but fondly recall its former glories," says Maimane.

Meanwhile COPE says the ANC gave no direction for the future of South Africa.

"The speech was dominated by calls for unity in the ranks of the ANC and the alliance - this as a sign that there are big divisions within the ANC and with its alliance," says COPE spokesperson Dennis Bloem.

Alliance partner Cosatu has, however, welcomed the January 8 statement.

"We agree that the alliance must be more united today than it has been at any other time in the history of our struggle. We are faced and surrounded by many enemies that want to remove the ANC government from power," says Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.