The Democratic Alliance (DA) launched their manifesto on Saturday in Pretoria.
The launch at the Union Buildings in Pretoria slammed the African National Congress government. DA leader John Steenhuisen called the buildings a crime scene. “It is inside these buildings that the ANC executed the plans that created the world’s highest unemployment rate, unleashed violent criminals on innocent people, and captured the state. It is inside these buildings that the dreams of Tintswalo and millions of other hopeful young people were betrayed.”
The party focused on seven critical points meant to rescue South Africa. These are:
1. Create two million new jobs;
2. End loadshedding and water-shedding;
3. Halve the rate of violent crime, including murder, attempted murder and gender-based violence;
4. Crush corruption by abolishing cadre deployment in favour of merit-based appointments and a capable state that delivers for all;
5. Lift six million people out of poverty;
6. Triple the number of Grade Four learners who can read for meaning and,
7. Ensure quality healthcare for all, irrespective of economic status.
“We will focus our time in government like a laser beam on implementing these seven key pledges, because we understand that if we do not fix these seven things, South Africa does not have a future,” said Steenhuisen.
They’re also laser-focused on eradicating cadre deployment. The ANC has until this afternoon to hand over its cadre deployment records to the DA after the Constitutional Court dismissed the ANC’s appeal to keep the records private last week. “If you (The ANC) fail to do so, the DA will use the precedent set in the Zuma case to go back to court for a contempt order that includes prison time for each and every one of the ANC’s leaders. The ANC is so desperate to hide Ramaphosa’s cadre secrets that they are now threatening to trigger a constitutional crisis to protect him – just like they did with Zuma,” said Steenhuisen.
They offered “Bold Solutions” to the priorities listed. For example, to end loadshedding, the DA proposes getting the state out of the power-generating business, diversifying the energy mix and encouraging the emergence of private “prosumers” (individuals who produce and consume electricity).
The party revealed that all their proposals had been costed. Speaking to SABC News, DA head of policy Matt Cuthbert said that the idea was to use money within the fiscus itself to try and cut down waste where possible. “This is why it is important to specify that there are certain proposals in our manifesto that are costed because there is no point to say we are going to increase x if we are not able to show exactly what it is we are going to increase it with and where we are going to find that money,” said Cuthbert.
