ANC promises 2.5 million job ‘opportunities’, eradicate corruption and economic reform.

By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

The African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa says the party plans to create more than 2.5 million job opportunities in the next five years. 

Ramaphosa said, the party will achieve this by creating 500 000 jobs a year, delivering 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; expand and institutionalise the National Youth Service in partnership with the SANDF, and work opportunities for unemployed graduates.”

He said some of these would come from South Africa’s transition from coal-based power generation to cleaner energy.

“Our strategy will also meet the new global challenges of climate change. A balanced just transition to a cleaner, greener future can lead to new jobs and secure the competitiveness of our exports,” he said.

The data from StatsSA showed that half of the industries in South Africa had recorded job losses.

The formal sector shed 128 000 jobs in the fourth quarter, followed by agriculture that shed 35 000, while the informal sector added 124 000 jobs and private households 18 000. 

Ramaphosa delivered the party’s manifesto to thousands of ANC supporters at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. 

Party supporters dressed in yellow, green and black party regalia packed the stadium and sang struggle songs praising Ramaphosa and the ANC, while others took advantage of the event to sell food, refreshments and party merchandise to the thousands attending.

Some supporters entered the stadium grounds carrying a caricature coffin bearing the name of the uMkhonto we Sizwe political party, a new political organization formed by former ANC president Jacob Zuma.

The ANC manifesto attributes some of the challenges faced by the country to the COVID-19 pandemic, the electricity crisis, global political conflicts, the 2021 July 2021 unrest and climate change.

The manifesto vowed to focus on six areas to ensure economic development and growth and it hopes will woo voters come the May 29 general election.

Some of the key priorities included building industries to achieve an inclusive economy, tackling the high cost of living, investing in people, defending democracy, advancing freedom, and building a better Africa and World.

It also pledges to boost investment and support the private sector as well as “eradicate corruption”.

A large part of the manifesto focused on rebuilding the country’s economy which is still suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ramaphosa said the ANC would continue to build a better Africa and world by renewing the ANC’s mandate.

“We will build on the foudations of the 30 years of freedom and continue the journey to the next 30 years to build a better life for current and future generations,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the ANC was not only focusing on the next five years but also looking forward to the next 30 years.

“Together we will work together to do much more,” he said.

Ramaphosa said this year, on April 27, Freedom Day, the ANC and those who supported the party before democracy would celebrate three decades of political freedom.

“South Africa has made progress in a number of areas firstly we have a constitutional democracy and it is a democracy that works its not a fake democracy its real democracy not many countries in the world can boast of the type of democracy we have,” he said.

He said 1994 was a turning point in South African politics.

It also points out that the country’s economy has grown since 1994, that the ANC continues to provide social welfare and housing for millions of poor South Africans

The president also said the government will continue to provide the R350 social grant and spoke about how some South Africans are reliant on it.

“Some are buying food with it. Others are using it to look for jobs. Others are starting their own business. Some buy beer, but it’s fine,” he said.

In addition, Ramaphosa said they will increase support for small businesses, introduce a re-industrialization programme, and cooperatives, especially in townships and villages.

Since 1994, it has polled consistently above 50% in national elections, enabling it to run the country without challenge. But with some opinion polls showing that that support has dipped below an absolute majority, South Africa is facing the possibility of a coalition government after the 29 May general election.

In its party manifesto launched last week, the DA, under the leadership of John Steenhuisen, had a simple message: “Our country is in crisis.”

It has promised to create two million new jobs, end the power cuts and halve violent crime. The DA wants a more liberal economic approach, including introducing privatisation, especially in the energy sector.

On the opposite end of the political spectrum, the EFF’s diagnosis is that the ANC has failed to dismantle the economic system that existed under apartheid.

Instead, the governing party has “reproduced and worsened apartheid economic inequalities”, the EFF’s high-profile leader Julius Malema wrote in his introduction to its manifesto.

Police minister Bheki Cele says law enforcement agencies are on standby to ensure that “no one” will sabotage the ANC’s election manifesto launch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. 

Watch Live in the video below:

Video Courtesy of MYANC.

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