John Steenhuisen asks South Africans for one term to solve problems

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen has promised the country that should the DA be elected to become the national government, it will end load shedding, half the crime rate and reduce unemployment to below 20% within the first term in office.

DA election manifesto

Steenhuisen revealed this during the unveiling of his election manifesto as a candidate for the DA leadership at the party’s national congress to be held in April. He is being contested by former Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse for the position.

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“My vision of the DA’s path to fixing South Africa is both ambitious and realistic,” Steenhuisen said.

‘I know without a shadow of a doubt that the DA is the only party that can end load shedding, bring unemployment below 20%, defeat cadre deployment, halve violent crime, and devolve more powers to capable local governments within a single term in government.

Our country is crying out for these solutions – and South Africa is running out of time,” Steenhuisen said.

Ensuring the DA is the only alternative

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Other pledges he made:

• Getting the ANC under 50% nationally, and ensuring the DA was the only alternative
• Focus DA communication on issues that mattered most to voters
• Embrace the private sector to reduce unemployment below 20%
• Defeat cadre deployment corruption and build a capable state to improve education and healthcare

He said once the DA ascended to power as a national government in 2024, it would create
millions of new jobs and reduce unemployment to below 20% – within a single term in office.

He revealed this to his supporters during the manifesto launch at Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, where the DA-led a coalition government.

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He said the top priority for the DA was to focus on ending load shedding.

“The DA-led governments, like Cape Town, are set to become the very first in the country to restore power to the people,” Steenhuisen said.

“We will start by decentralising substantial powers over electricity generation, public transport and railways and policing – away from the national government.

10% is what the DA trails the ANC government with at present

‘In addition to unleashing private investment to revitalise these critical sectors, we would encourage competent local governments to take over key aspects of these services,” he said.

He slammed what he called the failed socialist ANC paradigm that had created an incapable state. Unemployment stood at 32% presently, with unofficial figure at about 43%, he said.

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Steenhuisen promised:

The DA will create a truly independent police service by ensuring that all senior officers are appointed strictly on the basis of merit and experience and dramatically expand the law enforcement powers.

Steenhuisen said the DA was back on track and on the verge of making history 2024 as a government. The party had moved dramatically from 1.7% votes in 1994 to being only 10% behind the ANC currently.