Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has outlined a blueprint to “rescue South Africa” within 100 days of winning the elections, promising to fix Parliament, end load shedding, outlaw cadre deployment, introduce Scorpions 2.0 and introduce a devolution bill.
Steenhuisen unpacked the party’s plans for a new government in the country in Sandton on Tuesday.
“Within the first 100 days in office, the DA will introduce legislation aimed at rescuing our country from five key sources of state collapse,” he said.
He said the blueprint will amount to the most comprehensive legislative reform agenda since 1994.
He mentioned that it was time for citizens to embrace privatisation, especially when it came to electricity.
The DA leader promised that his party would reintroduce their bill to create an Independent Transmission System and Market Operator.
“This entity will be mandated to urgently establish a fully private market for the trading and distribution of electricity,” he said.
In the first budget to be tabled by a DA-led multi-party government, Steenhuisen highlighted that the DA will push for the introduction of an expanded R75,000 tax rebate to further encourage private households to install solar energy.
He added that their first budget will contain no tax increases, no bracket creep, and would start to reduce the unaffordable wage and debt bills that suffocate the economy.
“I also want to make it clear that the DA will bury the ANC’s job-killing policies that come straight out of the socialist playbook, including expropriation without compensation, the nationalisation of mines, farms, industry and the Reserve Bank, as well as the madness of the NHI (National Health Insurance),” he said.
During his speech, he took a swipe at President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he was determined to turn a blind eye to the corruption under his leadership.
“Just this past week, we saw another example that Cyril Ramaphosa has long since chosen cadres over country.
“The President has publicly told us that he refuses to act against the Deputy President he appointed, despite alarming evidence of systemic corruption and capture perpetrated by Paul Mashatile,” he said.
He, however, said the DA government will scrap all the corruption in the country and hold everyone accountable for their actions.
He said the DA was committed to serving the people of South Africa without hesitation.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics