Election season: ANC last of ‘big three’ to launch manifesto

The African National Congress (ANC) will on Monday launch its manifesto in Tshwane, with the event set to be a bit more subdued than those of previous years.

To adhere to Covid-19 protocols, only 500 members are expected to attend the launch, which will take place at Tshwane’s Church Square at 5pm.

Incidentally, the ANC lost control over Tshwane during the 2016 elections.

Election manifestos

ANC banking on youth

President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a preview of the manifesto over the weekend, placing focus on the party’s younger candidates.

He said young councillors would learn from the mistakes of the leaders that came before them.

“Our young candidates will be joining hands with experienced older councillors, enabling us to build on the gains we have made”.

Ramaphosa also admitted the ANC’s many ‘missteps’ over the years, with the party’s manifesto said to acknowledge some of these mistakes.

However, Ramaphosa said the party will be focused on changing the status quo this time around.

You know it’s election season when the president goes door-to-door.

EFF demand land and jobs

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) launched its manifesto on Sunday, with party leader Julius Malema taking a swipe at the “incapable local government”.

Malema said the party’s manifesto is “based on many observations that we have made about the state of local government in South Africa”.

“It is on this basis that we make the clarion call here on the 26th of September 2021 that we want our land and jobs manje! We demand land and jobs namhlanje!”

He said the party’s manifesto is based on the seven pillars of economic freedom, which includes the expropriation of land without compensation, as well as free and quality education.

EXPLAINER: Here’s a rundown of the elections timetable ahead of voting day

Selective DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Saturday said its manifesto would be a blueprint for how a local government should work and promised that they would not “dare write off any town”.

But while party leader John Steenhuisen bragged about DA-run municipalities, residents paint a different picture.

The spokesperson for the Patriotic Alliance, Virginia Keppler said citizens live in “terrible conditions”, adding that the “current administration lacks ubuntu”.

Keppler said she reported more than 30 street lights out of working order “just in the area of Eersterust in one week”.

READ MORE HERE: Municipalities in the spotlight as parties launch election manifestos