Mathews Phosa has cautioned the South African government to invest in free education for the poor instead of bailing out parastatals.

Phosa said this during his #MP17 campaign in Shatale outside Bushbuckridge on Saturday where more than hundred people had gathered.

"We need to invest in education instead of bailing out non-functioning and partly privatise them to bring in more inefficiency. Take the money that we have so far wasted in them and invest it in education to fund the poor who must have free education," Phosa said.

The former African National Congress (ANC) treasurer, who is also campaigning for leadership of the party, said we need to improve the state of our economy."He said.

He accused President Jacob Zuma of looking out for his family instead of worrying about the crippling state of the country's economy.

"Today the Gupta family has immunity in our country doing as they please and Zuma is not accounting for it. He does not care because his family is well looked after. He is failing to understand his involvement with the Guptas has shaken the rand and the economy," said Phosa.

He complained that the government is unnecessarily overspending on SAA, Eskom and South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) by injecting them with billions each year instead of educating the poor.

"Every year billions are. SAA is like a pig, SABC is like a pig and Eskom is like a pig, you must keep feeding them’’

Phosa said that the country should not condemn poor children to ignorance. "To think that if you are poor you cannot go to school, you are condemned to ignorance.

The poor must be asserted and be given opportunity to education, because if we are all educated, we can build jobs and create jobs, "said Phosa.