Republican Vice President Guy Scott says it does not bother him that he does not get a chance to act as President despite holding the second highest office in the land.
Featuring on Muvi Television’s The Assignment Programme last night, Scott said he did not understand the fuss about no money in people’s pockets when according to him the PF had increased the salaries of civil servants by 200 percent.
Dr Scott also said his remarks that South Africans were backward and that Jacob Zuma was behaving apartheid leaders was meant to open a debate.
He said although Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu got to act as president occasionally substantively he still retained the highest office after the president although it was also ceremonial.
“The job of acting president is just a chola boy because you are always consulting with the president, the intelligence. It does not really matter who is acting. As vice president my duties remain the same still dealing with the Disaster Management Unit, parliament business so it does not matter,” he said.
Scott said the low level civil servants had been given a generous pay rise that beat the fuel and general prices increases.
“Yes the food prices are high but the civil servants at the bottom of the chain were given a 200 percent while those at the top got about three percent when the agreement takes effect in September,” he said.
“How can a person who has had a 200 percent increment complain about a two percent price increase? Teachers’ salaries, police salaries have been hiked so what is the glide about?”
He said his remarks that sparked a diplomatic incident were meant to ignite a debate that he proudly said had been set in motion.
“I made those remarks to start a discussion so I have started a debate I have already let the rabbit out so it is up to the dogs to chase it,” Scott said.
“It was a friendly argument that is all I can say no comment.”
However the heat between the two countries was such that South Africa summoned the Zambian High Commissioner to the country to give an explanation on the remarks they deemed offensive.
Scott said the people needed to give PF time to deliver on its many campaign promises that have remained unfulfilled.
He also said the drive towards poaching opposition MPs was to marshal enough numbers in parliament to easily pass PF supported legislation in parliament.
“We invited them (opposition MPs) to vote with us and some of them actually volunteered, without them we will be unable to pass certain legislation,” Scott said.
“There are two different things one is when an MMD MP decides he will accept a job as minister and he will seat on the PF side and he will vote with PF it is not costing anybody anything, it is actually saving the country another 150 elections.”
He added: “It (poaching) has been very successful.”
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