ActionSA president Herman Mashaba addressing thousands of supporters during election manifesto launch on Saturday. Image: Twitter/ActionSA
Herman Mashaba said corrupt government officials had enriched themselves with state funds while millions of South Africans continue to live in poverty.
Speaking at the ActionSA manifesto launch on Saturday, in Hammanskraal, Gauteng, the party leader lamented the conduct of the current government.
The party is gearing up to embark on its first rodeo in the national elections next year, after it was founded in 2020. Mashaba addressed thousands of followers in an attempt to garner support for the upcoming political race.
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During his speech, the businessman-turned-politician said the party would root out corruption and fix the country, further lashing out at the African National Congress (ANC) government.
“The ruling party failed us, the ruling party failed South Africa,” Mashaba said.
“Driven by greed and corruption, they’ve put their own needs above those of the people they’re supposed to serve.”
South Africa has been faced with a plethora of economic and infrastructural challenges in recent years, causing many to rethink their political stance.
Adding to the tough socio-economic landscape is the country’s alarming youth unemployment rate of 43.4%, which has caused many to rely primarily on social grants for survival.
“How can you be proud of a country where people are forced to rely on R350 a month as their income, while we waste billions on tenders that only benefit those unpatriotic South Africans?”
Mashaba said ActionSA’s government would introduce a universal basic income stimulus package, explaining it wouldn’t be a “meagre R350” but would be sufficient for survival.
“We live in country where our government of unpatriotic South Africans celebrate having 19 million people on social grants,” said Mashaba, further explaining that job creation was the only “real way” to alleviate poverty.
While painting a picture perfect prospective political future, Mashaba took a trip down memory lane reflecting on promises made at the dawn of democracy.
“Like many people across our country, I believed in the promise of 1994 – the idea of a rainbow nation and the great hope we shared for our collection future,” he said.
“I remember the excitement and the collective will to build a just society where South Africans work in unity towards a better tomorrow”
Mashaba said although progress had been made, the country had not lived up to its potential.
Next year will mark 30 years since South Africa held its first democratic elections. While significant strides have been made in the recognition of human rights and civil liberties, the country still ranks among the most unequal societies in the world.
“Too many South Africans remain in a cycle of poverty. The hope and optimism we felt in 1994 was taken from us by self-serving, unpatriotic South Africans,” Mashaba said.
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Set on fixing the country, Mashaba said a government led by ActionSA would root out corruption, fix the education system and secure SA’s porous borders.
“We will secure our borders and overhaul Home Affairs, clamp down on corruption and the issuing of fraudulent documentation, and we will deport undocumented criminals that have no right to be here in our country,” he said.
While foreign investment remains important for the politician, he said proper processes must be put in place to regulate Visas and work permits for eligible candidates.
“We want the people of the world to come to our country, but they must do so legally and obey our laws once here in our country,” said Mashaba.
Currently public schools have a pass mark as low as 30%, which has been the subject of hot debates for many years. Meanwhile, the involvement of trade unions in school internal affairs has also raised eyebrows.
Mashaba blames the ruling party for the cracks in the education department.
“The destruction of our education system in South Africa is the biggest crime committed by our unpatriotic ANC government…it has robbed generations of children the chance of a better life,” Mashaba said.
Mashaba promised to revamp public education by providing universal access to early childhood development (ECD), as a starting point.
“We will expand funding for ECDs, including the expansion of feeding schemes to ensure that children receive adequate nutrition during these formative years,” he said.
Trade unions won’t be spared from Mashaba’s clean-up.
“We will end the stronghold unions have over our schools to ensure that the best teachers are appointed to positions,” he said.
Scolding government officials for exorbitant expenditure and failure to curb rising crime rates, Mashaba said his tenure of office would ensure the restoration of law and order.
“ActionSA’s policy on law and order will restore the rule of law by ensuring that we prioritise community policing over VIP protection,” he said.
“We will reform the South African Police Service and restore pride in the badge, ensuring that the police can once again be trusted, and that criminals no longer run communities with impunity,”
The competence of high profile officials has been questioned on most occasions, with many asking if they’re qualified to run their designated portfolios. Mashaba plans to change the appointment criteria.
“We will end the practice of cadre deployment which enables corruption, and insist on merit-based appointments and strict consequence management,”
“South Africa must have a professional public service that puts citizens above politics,” said Mashaba.
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