DA leader John Steenhuisen will unveil the party’s manifesto on Saturday. Picture Leon Lestrade/Independent Newspapers
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is launching its manifesto on the lawns of the Union Buildings on Saturday on the back of the latest poll by Ipsos that put it below the Economic Freedom Fighters.
But DA Federal Chairperson leader Helen Zille said recently she did not believe the polling by Ipsos as her party will do well in this election.
When the DA launched its manifesto in 2019 in Johannesburg Mmusi Maimane was its leader, but two years later Maimane was gone following a fallout with senior party leaders. .
Maimane now leads his own party, Build One South Africa (Bosa) which promises to create a job for every household in the country.
Maimane left at the same time as former DA mayor in Johannesburg Herman Mashaba. Mashaba also leads his own party, ActionSA.
Another former DA mayor in Midvaal Bongani Baloyi formed his own party, Xiluva, after a fallout with Mashaba at ActionSA last year.
These are some of the senior leaders that the DA lost and Maimane left because of internal wrangling over the DA’s performance in the 2019 elections.
In the 2019 campaign the DA said it will deal with crime, corruption and create jobs.
Policing is one issue that the DA has raised and in the 2019 election manifesto the party wanted police officers to be retrained.
The DA also wanted a one-year national service for young people who are not studying or working after completing Matric.
This one-year service in the public sector could be used as a stepping stone for other opportunities.
The party also promised to pass the Jobs Act to kick-start the economy and this law will provide incentives to local and international investors who want to invest in the economy.
In a bid to fight corruption, the recruitment process for public sector positions will be transparent.
During the 2021 local government elections, DA leader John Steenhuisen launched their manifesto in Cape Town where the party promised clean governance, delivery of basic services and to fight crime.
The party once again said they want to devolve policing powers to fight crime.
The issue of policing powers has been a subject of debate between the DA and the ANC.
DA Premier in the Western Cape Alan Winde told President Cyril Ramaphosa during the debate on the State of the Nation Address in parliament this week that they will push for the Provincial Powers Bill in the legislature and even up to the Constitutional Court if it is what it takes.
In the 2021 election manifesto the DA also said it would deliver roads and public transport.
The party said over the last 20 years the ANC-led government has failed to invest in water infrastructure, which has created a crisis in municipalities across the country.
It also load shedding has destroyed the economy and thousands of jobs.
The DA said it would work with Independent Power Producers to procure electricity than to rely on Eskom. They want businesses to sell excess power to their municipalities to prevent rolling blackouts.
They also wanted the state to release tracts of land to build more houses.
On their manifesto for 2024 elections, the party said they will not have a thick document but it will be a simple with key proposals and interventions they will introduce if they win power.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
IOL Politics