By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen outlined the party’s seven key priorities – which form part of its rescue plan for South Africa.
Steenhuisen took to the podium at the Union Buildings to deliver the party’s election manifesto,while addressing thousands of supporters.
He highlighted the significance of this year’s election, marking the first time in three decades that South Africans could realistically see a new government take the helm.
“For the first time in 30 years, the DA has a credible path into national government if enough of our voters turn out on Election Day,” he said, of a potential political overhaul.
He outlined the following DA’s seven key priorities:
– Create two million new jobs;
– End load shedding and water shedding;
– Halve the rate of violent crime, including murder, attempted murder, and gender-based violence;
– Crush corruption by abolishing cadre deployment in favour of merit-based appointments and a capable state that delivers for all;
– Lift six million people out of poverty;
– Triple the number of Grade four learners who can read for meaning; and
– Ensure quality healthcare for all, irrespective of economic status.
Central to the DA’s strategy is the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, an initiative Steenhuisen credits as a “political game-changer.”
This coalition of opposition parties aims to consolidate efforts to unseat the current ANC-led government.
“By forging a common vision among opposition parties, the Charter provides a clear path to power for an alternative government,” Steenhuisen explained, stressing the unity and strength found in collaboration.
Reflecting on the ANC’s decline in the 2021 local government elections, Steenhuisen is optimistic about the DA’s chances in the national and provincial elections, provided there is a high voter turnout.
He warned against the fragmentation of votes among too many parties, advocating for a strong, central party to ensure stability.
“Only the DA has the size, experience, and demonstrated track-record of good governance to serve as the anchor for a stable and successful Multi-Party Charter government,” he asserted.
The DA leader zoomed in on the potential consequences of failing to support the Multi-Party Charter, cautioning against the possibility of an ANC-EFF coalition, which he termed a “coalition of corruption.”
He framed a vote for the DA as a preventive measure against such an outcome, making it a “win-win proposition” for voters.
Steenhuisen again slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s success story of Tintswalo during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday.
Ramaphosa depicted a narrative of a child named Tintswalo, born in 1994 and illustrated her upbringing with access to essential services provided by the government – like water, electricity, education, and healthcare.
“The cold hard truth is that young people in this country do not succeed because of the ANC, they succeed in spite of the ANC.
The date for the National Assembly and provincial elections has not been set, but it is expected to be sometime between May and August.
During the 2019 elections, the party received just over 20% of the national vote to remain the second-biggest party in the country after the ANC.
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Video Courtesy of MYDA.