This weekend, the African National Congress (ANC) launched its 2024 election manifesto at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the manifesto to a packed stadium, highlighting the ANC’s achievements. “Over the past 30 years, the people of South Africa, led by the ANC, have been at the forefront of a movement to construct a new South Africa. Our country has come a long way. We have made incredible strides and achieved so much. However, even after 30 years of freedom and democracy, our journey towards the South Africa that our people truly desire is far from over. We still have more hills to climb,” he said.
The party said that the 2024 election manifesto focused on six key priorities that would be rolled out in the next five years:
- Putting South Africans to work through public employment programmes that create opportunities in the public, small businesses and social sectors.
- Build industries for an inclusive economy.
- Tackle the high cost of living.
- Improving health outcomes and improving service delivery.
- Defend democracy and advance freedom.
- Build a better Africa and world by supporting development and peace efforts on our continent and worldwide, strengthening trade and investment links with other countries, and working towards reforming international bodies.
The party said it aimed to create and sustain 2.5 million work opportunities delivering public goods and services in communities. This includes work done through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, funding to civil society through non-profit companies and organisations to provide work opportunities, expanding and institutionalising the National Youth Service in partnership with the SANDF, and work opportunities for unemployed graduates.
They also promise to tackle the cost of living crisis and free, quality healthcare. “Over the next five years, we will prioritise food security, including through VAT exemption on essential items, land reform, and support for community and home gardens. We will act against price fixing. We will strengthen health services and implement the National Health Insurance (NHI) to make quality health care affordable and available to all,” said Ramaphosa.
The ruling party is facing its most challenging election yet, with polls suggesting they’re on track to losing their majority.
Now, KZN will be the province to watch in the upcoming election. As the home province of former president Jacob Zuma, who is campaigning for the newly-formed uMkhonto We Sizwe Party, the ANC might be looking at an uphill battle to retain its majority. MK Party is already making strides. In recent by-elections in KZN, the MK Party has frightened established parties by winning seats held by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the ANC in two regions.
You can read the manifesto here.
