By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Build One South Africa (BOSA) has unveiled key policy proposals, including jobs plan, education, nuclear energy, a basic income grant, and announced its provincial leaders, giving the party a national footprint ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Parliament’s National Council of Provinces in November 2022 passed the Electoral Amendment Bill that makes narrow, technical changes so independents can contest national and provincial polls, with a crucial tweak — an electoral reform consultation panel — that may yet allow for possible broader reform after 2024.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Build One South Africa (BOSA), unveiled a plan at the party’s Jobs Plan Manifesto in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The plan aims to create 2 million new jobs within the next five years.
The event attracted over 2,000 party supporters who gathered to hear Maimane’s strategy for addressing unemployment, one of South Africa’s most pressing issues.
“Under this plan, within five years it is possible to rapidly grow the size of the economy, create millions of new jobs, and educate and upskill young people to compete at the very highest level, Maimane proclaimed to an energized audience.”
Emphasizing the critical nature of the employment crisis, he added, “With an estimated 18 million households averaging 3.3 persons per household, to put a job in every home—at a minimum—will require at least 2 million new jobs. A skilled workforce is fundamental to earning a higher average income than the prevailing R6,700 or less a month.”
Maimane outlined the party’s ‘Jobs Plan,’ which is composed of four key pillars: economic growth for job creation, education reform, building a capable state, and creating a safer environment—all designed to bolster employment opportunities.
Maimane also detailed the party’s commitment to overhauling the education system to align with modern skill requirements, reducing crime significantly to improve safety, and promoting a capable, efficient, and merit-based government.
The overhaul would include raising teacher salaries and getting rid of life orientation.
He also called for the establishment of an independent education ombud and an inspector general of education to ensure there’s accountability and to address issues of corruption.
Maimane said it was important to attract young talent to the teaching profession and limit the power of unions at schools.
He said should his party be elected to high office, it would ensure governments run by parties like Zanu-PF are removed.
A 2022 census report has shown that there’s been a surge in the Zimbabwean population currently living and working in South Africa.
Maimane said South Africa’s visa regulations needed to be strengthened.
“We have to ensure that those who come into this country, do so legally and that we can ensure that when it comes to immigration and emigration, we make it easier for skills to enter into countries and make sure those that are in this country operate under the rules and the laws of this country. “
The leadership is planning to embark on a national tour over the coming months, ahead of the 2024 general elections, with the intention of engaging with communities about the kind of leadership they want.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of BOSA.