IFP plans to lead with integrity
The IFP has vowed to take South Africa forward through “service delivery, dignity, selfhelp and self-reliance” and most importantly, said, Velenkosini Hlabisa, the party’s president, to serve the people.
Speaking at the launch of the IFP’s manifesto launch last week, he said: “We are a people of vast creativity and we boast a wealth of natural resources.
“South Africa should, by all accounts, have a strong economy, a thriving workforce and a leadership that truly serves. Tragically, this is not the case.
“For millions of families across our country, the dream is an absolute nightmare. And at the root of every problem we face is the reality of corruption, mismanagement and dishonesty among those who hold political power.” The IFP is fielding 109 candidates in the local government elections on November 1 and has set out a 10-point plan to transform municipal government:
Hlabisa said his party will lead with integrity, adding that every candidate has had to sign a contract of good governance, pledging to the people of SA that they will provide excellent service to the community and tackle corruption.
The party has also said that it will empower people to reduce the country’s 34.4% unemployment rate.
“We believe in creating opportunities for young people, and we don’t just pay lip-service to this commitment,” said Hlabisa. “The IFP is a party that believes in giving people a hand up. We believe in self-help and self-reliance, and equipping people to stand on their own feet.
“In communities where we govern, the IFP prioritises skills development and training. We provide bursaries to learners and students, to assist them in furthering their education. Opportunities in each community must be developed to serve the people of that community. This includes women, the youth and persons with disabilities.”
To achieve this, the IFP plans to invest in infrastructure development and maintenance, including the provision of water, electricity, roads and fibre. It will also prioritise creating jobs near to where people live, so that they can use their expertise to respond to the needs of their local economies.
Another key focus, said Hlabisa, was to provide food security to prevent thousands of South Africans from going to bed hungry every night. This means supporting subsistence farmers; helping to develop cooperatives; and assisting emerging farmers.
“Farm workers are a key component of food security, and the IFP prioritises their rights and needs. We support and promote the sustainable use of land; and ensure the necessary access to land,” Hlabisa said.
As part of its 10-point plan, the IFP intends partnering with traditional leaders, underlining the importance the party places on the province’s AmaKhosi to secure good governance.
They will also be working hard to make communities safer, especially for victims of gender-based violence and sexual assault; and to ensure that all communities in KZN have places of safety and access to treatment centres and drug rehabilitation programmes.
“IFP-led municipalities will prioritise the safety and plight of women, children and LGBTQIA+ persons through dedicated funding for provision of the required resources for crime prevention and the justice system must be overhauled,” Hlabisa said.
He added that municipal courts needed to be established to deal with transgressions of a non-civil or criminal nature, to ease the burden on magistrate’s and other courts.
The IFP has also pledged to “provide good quality, dignified housing to those in need” and to ensure that those “houses are efficiently and fairly allocated.”
Improving access to health was another key issue for the party, which believes there were not enough clinics to serve communities.
“Our sick and elderly are often forced to travel long distances, and when they arrive at a clinic, they face long queues and shortages of essential medication,” Hlabisa said.
“The IFP is committed to providing well-equipped and professionally staffed clinics that are accessible to all.
“Basic access to primary healthcare will be enhanced by the provision of mobile municipal clinics, particularly in rural localities; this will also include the employing municipal nurses and health practitioners.”
Another key IFP election pledge is the provision of clean water by investing money n building and maintaining infrastructure, fixing water leaks and drains, and ensuring the province had functional sewage systems.
Ensuring families have access to electricity was also important, Hlabisa said. “We are proud to announce the IFP led municipalities of AbaQulusi and Mthonjaneni have paid up their Eskom debt,” he added.
The IFP’s final pledge aims to underline the importance the party places on early childhood development (ECD) centres; providing sports fields and bursaries for poor pupils; and in offering sanitary dignity for indigent school girls.