While South Africans eagerly await the State of the Nation Address (SONA), ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has announced “concrete” plans he believes will be better suited to bring about the change the country desperately needs.
Mashaba said instead of waiting on the president who would undoubtedly once again make grand promises and speak of progress, all of which he labelled as lies, his party had come up with concrete plans on how to turn things around for South Africa.
The party president detailed how their plans came about following consultations with over 600 delegates from across the country to adopt a comprehensive set of solutions to South Africa’s greatest challenges.
The plans he said came after months of engagements with academics, subject experts and scores of South Africans with first-hand experience of how to navigate issues like economic development, crime, load shedding, education and healthcare.
Mashaba said his party had crafted realistic and implementable plans that can be put into action when the people of South Africa vote for a change.
He detailed key focus areas that needed dire attention namely fixing South Africa’s broken economy and creation of much-needed jobs, providing economic justice, addressing the gaps in the education system, and putting an end to load shedding.
While at the same time addressing crime and corruption and most importantly securing the country’s borders.
Referring to his brief appointment as the mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mashaba explained that just as he had helped facilitate a R30 billion in private investment for the metro, their policies would cut red tape and unlock entrepreneurship by introducing low-interest, government-secured loans for small to medium enterprises.
While at the same time scrapping the B-BBEE Act of 2003 to make way for Inclusive Economic Empowerment (IEE), an alternative Mashaba said would directly address the legacy of apartheid by creating economic opportunity for all previously disadvantaged South Africans, and not just the connected few.
“Let me be clear; ActionSA is unapologetically in favour of black economic empowerment and the empowerment of all those who were marginalised by the apartheid government. But we reject the B-BBEE Act of 2003 that has left the majority of our people trapped in poverty, increased inequality and mostly benefited tenderpreneurs and the politically connected.”
Education-wise the party plans to establish universal access to early childhood development (ECD) to ensure that all South African children receive a foundation of quality education.
“Our government’s neglect of the education system in South Africa stands as a grave injustice, robbing countless generations of the opportunity for a brighter future. To this end, we will reinstate school inspectors to monitor and uphold the standard of quality teaching, and pay teachers more for the crucial role they play in our society.
“We will reform the curriculum, aimed at improving educational outcomes by focusing on comprehensive reading skills and maths, and equipping children with skills needed to contribute to the economy.”
Mashaba was quick to point out that he was not opposed to migrants, however he acknowledged that the country had to secure its borders while reforming its immigration system to make it easier for those who can contribute to our economy to enter legally.
The Star
goitsemang.matlhabe@inl.co.za