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2024 ELECTION MANIFESTO
THE EFF
PLAN OF ACTION ON PUBLIC SAFETY
PUBLIC SAFETY
CRIME
1. The EFF government will recognize the critical role of the police force in maintaining law and order, ensuring citizen safety, and upholding human rights, committing to a comprehensive overhaul of South Africa's law enforcement system.
2. The EFF government will base its approach to policing on the seven cardinal pillars of an open, accountable, corruption-free government, fostering a society free from fear of victimization by state agencies.
3. The EFF government will acknowledge that the police are not the enemy, identifying the real challenge as white monopoly capital and their political appointees.
4. The EFF government will establish a strategic and beneficial working relationship with the police, focusing on fostering patriotism and loyalty to the country and the people of South Africa, rather than to politicians or political offices.
5. The EFF government will approach crime fighting with the understanding that crime is a socio-economic issue, aiming to eradicate it by economically developing communities and providing quality jobs and careers to those involved in criminal activities.
6. The EFF government will amend the law to impose a minimum sentence of 25 years for any law enforcement officer found to have committed a serious crime. (Schedule 5 and 6 of the criminal procedure Act)
7. The EFF government will amend the law to impose a minimum sentence of 25 years for anyone found guilty of pointing a firearm at a law enforcement officer.
8. The EFF government will amend the law to impose a life sentence for anyone found guilty of killing a member of a law enforcement agency.
9. The EFF will introduce an annual day of joint operation between all law enforcement agencies (South African Police Services, South African National Defence Force, Intelligence and Immigration officers) to visit houses and conduct searches for illegal firearms.
10. The EFF government will introduce an incentive (bonus) for law enforcement officers who arrest dangerous criminals.
11. The EFF government will introduce an incentive (bonus) for law enforcement officers who’s investigation is used to successfully prosecute serious crimes.
12. The EFF government will establish a structured system to financially reward informers who provide valuable and actionable information, enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts.
13. The EFF government will amend the law to ensure that all crimes that are excluded from presidential pardon, such as sexual offences, tampering with essential infrastructure, and murder must be excluded from parole.
14. The EFF government will, by 2029, establish satellite police stations that will be open 24 hours a day and seven days a week in every ward of the country where there currently is no police station.
15. The EFF government will re-open police and satellite police stations in Marabastad, Zandspruit, Kocksoord, Azaadville, Morula Sun, Melville, Zithobeni, Thembelihle, Tshepisong, Slovopark, and Mathole in Gauteng by 2027.
16. The EFF government will re-open police and satellite police stations in Siyathemba, Emjindini, Botleng, Tjakastad, Kwazamokuhle, Msogwaba, Daanjie, Hectorspuit, Lebohang, Badfontein, Dundonald, Phola, Thuthukani, Phungutsha, and Kamhlushwa in Mpumalanga by 2027.
17. The EFF government will ensure that all police stations are housed in properties owned by the state.
18. The EFF government will ensure that each police station has officers with specialized skills to deal with cases of sexual violence against and abuse of women and children and to support victims.
19. The EFF government will retrain all police officers by 2027 so that they are able to process and investigate sexual violence and intimate-partner violence crimes, in a way that takes cognizance of the short-term and long-term mental and physical health of the victim.
20. The EFF government will ensure that police stations have counselling services to support abused women and children.
21. The EFF government will enhance public awareness and education on GBV combating and prevention.
22. The EFF government will require all police stations to have DNA kits by the end of 2025, and will build a DNA station/lab in each province.
23. The EFF government will determine the number of police officers to be allocated to a station in relation to the number of people within the station’s catchment area.
24. The EFF government will employ an additional 100,000 police officers by 2026.
25. The EFF government will enhance the compensation and working conditions of police officers to improve morale and reduce corruption.
26. The EFF government will retain the four-day-in, four-day-out shift.
27. The EFF government will introduce a standby allowance to ensure police presence, especially during the times when communities are going to work and coming back.
28. The EFF government will develop a promotion policy for police officers and ensure that every individual is developed and ready to be promoted.
29. The EFF government will develop a special targeted developmental program for police officers who have several years of experience but with no qualifications.
30. The EFF government will introduce frequent drills and physical training per fortnight to instil discipline and physical fitness.
31. The EFF government will introduce mandatory fitness assessments every 24 months for law enforcement officers, and those found unfit will be dismissed from their positions.
32. The EFF government will repair all broken police vehicles by 2025.
33. The EFF government will purchase an additional 7,000 police vehicles by 2027, on the condition that 50% of all parts are made in South Africa.
34. The EFF government will ensure that there are police cars with police officers that are tactically trained in all off-ramps, on-ramps, regional boundaries, and provincial boundaries.
35. The EFF government will increase police visibility in all communities, including routine and regular visibility in informal settlements, townships, rural areas and urban areas.
36. The EFF government will absorb all police reservists.
37. The EFF government will employ highly qualified detectives.
38. The EFF government will train all detectives.
39. The EFF government will prioritize the analysis of crime patterns and trends to develop targeted crime combating and prevention strategies.
40. The EFF government will ensure that the loss of a docket leads to immediate dismissal.
41. The EFF government will employ paralegal clerks to ensure that statements are admissible in court.
42. The EFF government will overhaul the training regime for police officers to ensure they are well-equipped to serve with professionalism, patriotism, and respect for human rights. A new curriculum will be introduced which covers topics such as human rights, constitutional law, conflict resolution, diversity, and ethics.
43. The EFF government will ensure that IPID/Internal affairs is not used to deal with police officers.
44. The EFF government will also ensure that police officers receive regular refresher courses and evaluations to maintain their skills and standards.
45. The EFF government will engage in consistent roadblocks, including stop-and-search operations to fight the transportation of drugs, illegal firearms, retrieve stolen vehicles, apprehend wanted suspects, and identify drunk drivers.
46. The EFF government will impose strict rules on gun ownership and will aggressively recover illegal firearms.
47. The EFF government will deploy a special task team to deal with gangsterism and drugs in places such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town, Eldorado, Westbury, Hillbrow, and Yeoville.
48. The EFF government will have a Zero Tolerance Approach to Drinking and Driving and will ensure that there are Mandatory Alcohol Testing Facilities in Clinics.
49. The EFF government will mandate the establishment of a specialized task team of municipal police to be force multipliers to the police special task team.
50. The EFF government will improve the capacity of crime intelligence to include the usage of technology to solve crimes, such as the installation of CCTV cameras with artificial intelligence and face recognition.
51. The EFF government will ensure that police have body cameras.
52. The EFF government will ensure all police vehicles are fitted with a dashboard camera.
53. The EFF government will ensure all police vehicles are fitted with a radio system.
54. The EFF government will construct a state-of-the-art IIOC (Integrated Intelligent Operational Centre) to monitor CCTV cameras and dispatch police vehicles to detected crime areas.
55. The EFF government will improve the communication system of police, to ensure that the police are able to communicate with each other without interruption by fibre.
56. The EFF government will train, remunerate, supply uniforms, torches, and bulletproof vests to Community Policing Forums and municipal street patrollers across the country and encourage the formation of crime watch and street committees in crime hotspot communities and areas.
57. The EFF government will give rewards to citizens who submit evidence depicting alleged criminal activities, including drug dealing, social crimes, and domestic violence.
58. Racism shall be declared a punishable criminal offence.
59. The EFF government will enhance Police Foot Patrols in densely populated areas to improve visibility and strengthen community relationships. This approach aims to foster trust and cooperation between residents and the police, making officers more approachable and responsive to the specific needs of these communities.
60. The EFF government will have zero tolerance for police brutality and corruption.
61. The EFF government will introduce a specialized unit to deal with the problem of stock theft in rural and farming areas, as part of its massive drive for rural development.
62. The EFF government will increase the sentences for rhino poaching, perpetrators of gender-based violence, murders, rapists and anyone who defrauds the state.
63. The EFF government will ensure that the SABC dedicates one hour per day on all radio and television stations to educate the public about crime prevention and community policing.
64. The EFF government will mobilize and empower communities and civil society organizations to actively participate in crime prevention and detection. This will include initiatives to encourage the reporting of crime, protect whistle-blowers, and promote the values of human rights, democracy, and social justice.
65. The EFF government will ensure that all immigrants shall be registered and have their fingerprints captured by the new Department of Home Affairs and Internal Security.
66. The EFF government will establish a DNA database for all South Africans to fight crime.
67. The EFF government will introduce regular mandatory counselling for all law enforcement officers.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
1. The EFF government will ensure that South Africa's emergency critical services have adequate resources and sufficient coverage, especially in rural and underserved urban areas.
2. The EFF government will build and adequately staff more emergency service stations in each ward, with a focus on underserved areas.
3. The EFF government will ensure that the response time is 15 minutes, as per international standard, compared to the current 58 minutes as reported by the South African Medical Research Council.
4. The EFF government will invest in the modernization and expansion of emergency service fleets, including ambulances and fire trucks, to ensure rapid response capabilities equipped with GPS trackers, dash cameras, and panic buttons to enhance safety and accountability.
5. The EFF government will invest in the capacitation and modernization of the aquatic unit to be able to retrieve bodies that are swept away in rivers.
6. The EFF government will install water level sensors and monitor them in the emergency command centre as a risk mitigation for those who are conducting rituals.
7. The EFF government will ensure that those carrying out rituals should apply for permission so that a risk assessment can be carried out, and ensure aquatic rescue services are present.
8. The EFF government will train more paramedics and emergency personnel, while also providing them with competitive salaries and benefits.
9. The EFF government will provide fire and medical emergency personnel with adequate protective gear, psychological support, and career development opportunities.
10. The EFF government will ensure the training of firefighting staff.
11. The EFF government will recognize and reward the heroic work of our emergency service workers, who risk their lives to save others.
12. The EFF government will ensure that all buildings undergo a fire risk assessment and that all mitigation actions are implemented.
13. The EFF government will continuously inspect and maintain fire hydrants to ensure that they are not vandalized and are operational.
14. The EFF government will purchase a dedicated fire engine for each informal settlement.
15. The EFF government will supply fire balls to each household in all informal settlements.
16. The EFF government will install fire monitors mainly in informal settlements.
17. The EFF government will launch public education campaigns on emergency preparedness and the proper use of emergency services to alleviate system strain.
18. The EFF government will establish red fire ambassadors in each ward, who will be paid a minimum wage.
19. The EFF government will have one common emergency number that will be linked with provincial and regional command centres.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. The EFF government will introduce legislative measures that would ensure that the disaster management function on all government spheres is capacitated and has level three (3) disaster management plans by 2028.
2. The EFF government will ensure that the newly established National Disaster Management Centre and national disaster management forums, as enacted in the Disaster Management Act of 2002, are not fragmented and uncoordinated.
3. The EFF government will provide humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support to affected communities, ensuring accountability and consequence management for any misuse of allocated funds.
4. The EFF government will reconfigure the disaster classification and declaration process to expedite rehabilitation and redirect resources to impacted
5. communities faster.
The EFF government will reconfigure the current disaster grant model to allow for infrastructure rejuvenation and not just replacement or repair when damages are a result of a disastrous event.
6. The EFF government will push for the relocation of all informal settlements that are in flood lines, built next to river banks (e.g.Stlwetla) and dolomitic areas which can result in sinkholes.
7. The EFF government will amend the appropriate legislation to allow for greater corporate social investment and partnership in disaster risk reduction programmes.
8. The EFF government will mainstream disaster risk management in all sectors of society to ensure disaster risk readiness and resilience.
9. The EFF government will form a compact with all stakeholders to find a nationally agreed socio-economic reintegration solution for the internally displaced people promptly after a disastrous event.
10. The EFF government will develop a disaster governance implementation model to expedite the transition from a largely reactive governance response to disasters to a more proactive oversight approach.
11. The EFF government will implement a comprehensive and integrated disaster management plan, which includes early warning systems, emergency response teams, evacuation plans, and relief and recovery programs.
12. The EFF government will ensure that there is dedicated emergency shelter stock to accommodate and provide the most vulnerable or displaced with humanitarian relief for at least 72 hours to allow them to recover and regroup.
13. The EFF government will establish dedicated disaster research and development skill sets at all spheres of government to better understand the unique risk dynamics of each community, enhance institutional capacity on each sphere, and future-proof communities against disasters and climate change.
14. The EFF government will invest in resilient infrastructure and community
programs as part of the national disaster risk reduction strategy, shifting the national disaster funding focus from reactive disaster spending to more research-supported proactive investment.
15. The EFF government will ensure that communal support bodies are incorporated into local government disaster risk management structures to guarantee mutual ownership of interventions by society and government.
16. The EFF government will establish red disaster ambassadors in each ward.
17. The EFF government will establish a well-defined and aligned disastrous incident escalation model from local to national government to allow for quicker national support and intervention.
18. The EFF government will build strategically placed humanitarian relief storage and distribution centres, considering the frequent disastrous events nationally, to promptly assist local governments in disaster relief situations.
19. The EFF government will expand the legislative scope of the disaster management advisory forum to include a permanent think tank team or centre of excellence at all levels of government.
PLAN OF ACTION ON NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE
NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE
1. The EFF government shall stand firm in its commitment to advancing the interests and sovereignty of the people of South Africa while progressively working towards a common security system for the entire African continent.
2. The EFF government will understand that the military is not the enemy and that the enemy is white monopoly capital.
3. The EFF government understands that there are a lot of issues affecting the military that need to be sorted out.
4. The EFF government shall build a strategic and working relationship with the military.
5. The EFF government will engage with the military to inculcate a sense of patriotism and loyalty to the country and to the people of South Africa, not loyalty to politicians and political offices.
6. The EFF government will increase the defence budget so that the proposals in the National Defence Forces are implemented.
7. The EFF government will carry out a comprehensive modernization program for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to ensure it remains agile and responsive to contemporary security challenges.
8. The EFF government will give a specific mandate to the SANDF to protect the country from external threats, including dealing with illegal firearms coming into the country through borders.
9. The EFF government will ensure that the military collaborates with progressive countries such as China and Russia to transfer knowledge, create joint ventures, and facilitate technological exchange.
10. The EFF government will reform the recruitment process to attract and retain highly qualified individuals.
11. The EFF government will hire additional new military personnel.
12. The EFF government will hire all military reservists permanently.
13. The EFF government will intensify the training of military personnel and instil discipline.
14. The EFF government will improve the remuneration of military personnel.
15. The EFF government will advocate for increased investment in advanced surveillance systems, communication networks, and cybersecurity capabilities to enhance the SANDF's situational awareness and rapid response capabilities.
16. The EFF government will renew focus on enhancing deterrence capabilities and foster regional cooperation to address common security challenges.
17. The EFF government will actively participate in regional peace and stability efforts, as well as contribute to international peace support missions.
18. The EFF government will intensify training and capacity-building within the SANDF to prepare for these critical peacekeeping operations.
19. The EFF government will bail out Denel and AMRSCOR, to ensure that they are fully functional, and must locally manufacture military equipment.
20. The EFF government will reclaim all the intellectual property of Denel that was sold to private companies or other countries.
21. The EFF government will ensure that all military equipment is serviced.
22. The EFF government will ensure that new military equipment is purchased.
23. The EFF government will support a strong and sustainable defence industry in South Africa that promotes local defence firms and fosters innovation.
24. The EFF government will initiate efforts to encourage research and development, as well as international cooperation in defence trade and technology transfer.
25. The EFF government shall mandate that each person undergo compulsory military training for a year or six months after matriculation, offering life skills and discipline.
PLAN OF ACTION ON HEALTH
HEALTH
1. The EFF government will renew the health system through the strengthening of Primary Health Care: universal coverage, people-centred care, with an emphasis on public health and evidence-based policies.
2. The EFF government will ensure adequate, equitable domestic funding for health and will proactively ensure sustainability and will not allow austerity or deficits to impact the health system efficiency.
3. The EFF government will use a pluralistic, non-siloed approach to health systems and its governance, ensuring coherence with other departments that are key to the success of the public health system and will address the underlying social and commercial determinants of health.
4. The EFF government will take into account the current stagnation in the growth and modernisation of sector, the lack of adequate number and quality facilities where people reside, and the existing levels of poverty already existing and will formulate more equity-oriented policies, programmes and practices, thereby increasing the life expectancy of all people in South Africa.
5. The EFF government will create a comprehensive and supportive legal environment for the governance of universal health coverage that is equitable, people-centred, and enables strategic and innovative comprehensive solutions and implementation for the health system. This is integral to the realization of all human rights and to ensure people are able to participate and in the economic, social, political, civil spheres, amongst others.
6. The EFF government’s approach to health care will be based on the pillars of a) prevention, b) promotion and c) education on health care.
7. The EFF government will focus on primary health with a commitment to attain universal health coverage, with the intention of decreasing infant mortality rates, increasing coverage of comprehensive sexual and reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health services.
8. The EFF government will adopt a life-cycle approach to the national health care system that focuses on primary health care, building 24hr ideal clinics and disease profiling through public health care facilities.
9. The EFF government will ensure integrated access to data to identify gaps in policy, health systems, clinical care and underlying determinants (water, food, housing, healthy living and working environment). Health data will be rapidly analysed to inform priority setting for specific districts/sub-districts, foster inter-departmental collaboration to meet the underlying determinants of health, inform resource allocation and forecast budgeting.
10. The EFF government will implement a vaccination programme which will cover 100% of all South Africans. Travel and routine vaccinations will be offered at all public institutions.
11. The EFF will focus on developing the sector further to ensure modern life-saving emergency, critical and surgical care interventions are available and of quality in all communities.
12. The EFF will invest in and support a wider and more efficient, quality ambulance system and patient transport systems.
13. The EFF will regularise and fully integrate Community Healthcare Workers as full time employees of the State who will be responsible for provision of quality healthcare in each and every community.
14. The EFF government will prioritize provision of the tools of trade and ensure community-based systems are seen as a success indicator for universal health coverage.
15. The EFF government will follow the national and global health calendar as well as being responsive to emerging trends and ensure that doctors and other health practitioners and allied health workers participate in structured outreach to schools, communities and places of work to perform screening and referrals to care where appropriate.
16. The EFF government will foster multilateral cooperation, influence and support trade, professional ties, research and product development across the board in the health and medical field.
17. The EFF will work with established and emerging medical research institutions in other developing countries to develop vaccines for identified and emerging preventable diseases.
18. The EFF will ensure that the health sector is a regional leader in generic medicines manufacturing, medical equipment and supplies.
19. The EFF government will invest in medical research which will explore the usage of cannabis for pharmaceutical and medical purposes.
20. The EFF government will ensure equity in trading licenses so as not to impede previously disadvantaged people from being a part of this formalized industry.
21. The EFF will also pursue the integration of African medicine in primary health care that will include the rich bio flora which can be explored for research and product development.
22. The EFF government will work with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and maximally utilize other forms of mass communication to produce health education content to be aired on all SABC platforms. Health programming across multi-media platforms must be utilized to reach people in all social spaces and ensure that the learning, visual and hearing tools and aids for people with disabilities are taken into account when producing health content.
23. The EFF government will establish a confidential and secure digital database of health profiles for all South African citizens. There will be mandatory safeguards regarding data privacy, data breach, privacy and storage of demographic and biomedical data for all stakeholders involved in the data pipeline and ICT infrastructure.
24. The EFF government will build 24-hour integrated post-sexual trauma centres in all district hospitals for urgent medical, forensic, psychological and social assistance, directly linked to policing and detective directorates. These centres will be in every ward and prioritising the training, remuneration, support and retention of staff will be a priority.
25. The EFF will ensure consistent resourcing and financing of comprehensive care with clear referral pathways to specialized services and other multi sectoral services, including financial and legal support, safe accommodation, and ensuring accountability and redress.
26. The EFF government will upgrade hospitals such that each district in South Africa has a specialist hospital with a minimum of 450 beds, open 24 hours a day, with internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and general surgeons, trauma teams, mental health and drug detox and rehabilitation centres, LGBTIQA specific healthcare, and palliative health services.
27. The EFF government will build specialized hospitals for the following disease categories: paediatric hospital, dental hospital, and Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) and Tuberculosis (TB) hospital. It will also establish specialized units for the following conditions: diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular diseases, heart disease, hypertensive diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, oncology, rare diseases, sexual and reproductive health, and chronic renal failure.
28. The EFF government will support the development of these into centres of excellence that partake in clinical care, academic research, surveillance, pharmaceutical and medical development.
29. The EFF government will pay specific attention to childhood developmental and cognitive health matters and build adequate and high level capacity for comprehensive support.
30. The EFF government will ensure that children and adults are screened for the often accompanying visual, hearing, mobility challenges to ensure conducive schooling, work, and home environments to support participation in education, sport and other social activities.
31. The EFF government will build consulting rooms for traditional and indigenous health practitioners, including traditional healers and herbalists, in all district hospitals, as a way to incorporate traditional and indigenous health care practices into the primary health care system.
32. The EFF government will increase the participation of indigenous communities in designing health services that are responsive to their needs.
33. The EFF government will establish a fund to support indigenous African health systems and knowledge production to ensure coherency and innovation that is in line with the public health systems strategy for the country.
34. The EFF government will massively increase the number of health care practitioners and ensure that they are equitably spread across districts and provinces.
35. The EFF government will ensure a conducive working environment for employees as a priority. And that the occupational, security and lodging needs of the healthcare workers are a priority and plans are resourced.
36. The EFF government will increase the number of nurses and doctors in South Africa’s health care system by:
37. Establishing at least one health care training facility per province and ensuring that there is no province without a health sciences campus, inclusive of nursing school and medical school. The practice of health professionals has a significant bearing on the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular the right to health therefore it is imperative that the health science education curriculum be reformed and pedagogical approaches be adopted to centre the dignity, human rights, and equity.
38. The EFF government will ensure for both undergraduate and postgraduate students a clear and efficient pathway to qualifications recognition, professional registration, licensing, and employment for those trained outside of South Africa.
39. The EFF government will produce ambulances and mobile clinics locally.
40. The EFF government’s state-owned health mechanical service workshops and technicians will prioritise all machines and equipment in district hospitals, and all machines and equipment will be in a working condition.
41. The EFF government will ensure that technicians in South Africa receive training for maintenance.
42. The EFF government will build and maintain a state-owned health care equipment company to manufacture health care equipment, commodities and diagnostics.
43. The EFF government will ensure that the health care system and health solutions are non-discriminatory towards real or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) and those with varying physical and mental abilities
44. The EFF government will establish surveillance and prevention methods such as indoor residual spraying teams on a full-time basis in all malaria-risk areas including other tropical diseases endemic in the country.
45. The EFF government will provide health and environmental health inspectors with teams and inter-departmental support for by-law enforcement and align with the vision for public enterprises and economic development plans and provide support especially for informal sector for compliance.
46. The EFF government will police, investigate and prosecute all illegal advertisements of medical procedures or organ sales, illegal health facilities and illegal providers of health care.
47. The EFF government will enforce the penalties existing in various health regulations and acts.
48. The EFF government will establish a medical fellowship program with fellow African countries to foster academics, research, innovation, and skills exchange.
49. The EFF government will decentralise procurement for health services and goods, by giving all health facilities disaggregated autonomy to establish good governance and internal capacity-building for procurement of goods and services and will ensure hospital managers are appropriately qualified to ensure stewardship of public resources.
50. The EFF government will adopt front-of-package nutrition warning labeling on food and beverages containing excessive amounts of salts, sugar and fats, following the best available scientific evidence free from conflicts of interest by industry.
51. The EFF government will ensure screening for food insecurity by health professionals is adopted into clinical care in order to improve patient care and to support patients in managing their health communicable and non-communicable conditions.
52. The EFF government will develop a regulatory environment for digital health governance to ensure equality, non-discrimination, participation, transparency and accountability in design, artificial intelligence adoption in health, and overall digital tools implementation.
53. The EFF government will ensure that impact assessments and reviews of digital tools and designs, development and implementation of technology used in health annually, to inform strategy and resource utilization.
54. The EFF government will put in place legislation, policies and initiatives to address the effect of drugs from a harm reduction perspective for people who use drugs in the home, community, and inpatient settings.
55. The EFF government will resource harm reduction programs including needle and syringe programs, opioid substitution therapy, overdose prevention, and community outreach programs, as well as access to legal assistance, social services, housing, and adequate food for people who use drugs.
56. The EFF laments that racism has been a central determinant in the provision of health services to the people of South Africa.
57. The EFF government will allocate funds and research to quantify the impact and extent of damage due to neglect attributable to racism.
58. Health care institutions, doctors 's rooms, and medical schools will work to reverse the impact of racism on everyone, including medical staff and the broader society.
59. The EFF government will ensure a focus on regional and international frameworks, international cooperation and solidarity in the strengthening of health systems, financing, data and reporting, clinical response and prevention.
60. The EFF government will ensure equitable research, supply and access to vaccines, undisrupted access to essential medicines and services, as well as ensuring that sexual and reproductive health services and commodities remain accessible during times of crisis such as pandemics.
61. The EFF government will ensure stewardship in the entire health sector (public and private), support the adherence to the principles of medical ethics and health economics for equitable outcomes, as well as good governance to achieve positive public health outcomes.
62. The EFF government will centre primary care as key to the improvement of health indicators, well-being, life expectancy and quality of life.
63. The EFF government will support a change of paradigm, from paternalistic top-down medicine to socialism and improve the partnership between health-care providers and users.
64. The EFF government will conduct a thorough appraisal of existing legal and policy restrictions to highlight their discriminatory nature and the impact they have on the enjoyment of the right to health.
65. The EFF government will remove criminal laws and other legal restrictions barriers that interfere with accessibility, availability, acceptability, quality of goods, services, care.
66. The EFF government will hold components of monitoring, review and redress and in addition, will have transparent governance as a way for duty bearers to explain their actions and make adjustments where necessary.
67. The EFF government holds important the quality of connections between individuals, families and communities over the course of life, across generations, between government and people, between different nations and between humankind and nature, are critical for physical and mental health and as such views the health system as an integral part of social systems.
68. The EFF government will ensure that “leave no one behind’ is more thana slogan, and that those in vulnerable situations who are frequently neglected in terms of health care, including people living in poverty; women; persons with disabilities; older persons; internally displaced persons; sex workers; persons in overcrowded settings and in residential institutions; people in detention; homeless persons; migrants and transgender and gender-diverse persons comprehensive needs are understood in how the structural dimensions of health system affect them.
69. The EFF government will ensure that the benefit and profiteering of industry and private companies will not be prioritized over the rights to health of South Africans, and will ensure legal and policy frameworks that protect intellectual property rights in a manner that is inconsistent with the right of every person to access a safe and effective medical intervention and innovation as well as the right to benefit from scientific discovery.
70. The EFF government will implement strict measures, including punitive actions, against nurses who breach patient confidentiality or engage in the theft of medications, upholding the highest standards of professional conduct and trust in healthcare settings.
PLAN OF ACTION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
1. The EFF government will invest in the well-being of every individual, ensuring they can reach their full potential and contribute to societal success through national policy development, and international participation on policy, gender, and population development broadly.
2. The EFF government will focus on removing barriers to allow all citizens to confidently and with dignity pursue their dreams.
3. The EFF government will implement interventions aimed at helping people in poverty move towards self-sufficiency.
4. The EFF government will redefine 'social development' to emphasize economic, social, and political well-being, rather than mere public assistance.
5. The EFF government will combat the stigma associated with welfare, recognizing the dignity of those who seek government services.
6. The EFF government will foster a society's upward movement towards greater levels of energy, efficiency, quality, productivity, and creativity.
7. The EFF government will prioritize the development of society and individuals to enhance freedom of choice and the capacity to fulfill those choices independently.
8. The EFF government will distinguish between growth and development, focusing on qualitative enhancement in social development.
9. The EFF government will address the prioritized hierarchy of societal needs, including security, law and order, self-sufficiency, and creative expression.
10. The EFF government will acknowledge the current levels of poverty, unemployment, inequality, and deprivation without over-reliance on academic research.
11. The EFF government will redefine development beyond the provision of free services, focusing also on holistic economic and social advancement.
12. The EFF government will harmonize social policies with measures that promote economic development, offering a holistic response to under-development.
13. The EFF government will apply diverse strategies to enhance living standards, contributing to both social well-being and economic growth.
14. The EFF government will substantially increase social grants payable to different categories of people as follows:
(a) Grant for older persons to increase from R2 090 to R4 180 per month.
(b) Grant for War Veterans to increase from R2 110 to R4 220 per month.
(c) Grant for Disability to increase from R2 090 to R4 180 per month.
(d) Grant for Care Dependency to increase from R2 090 to R4 180 per month.
(e) Grant for Foster Child to increase from R1 130 to R2 260 per month.
(f) Grant for Child Support to increase from R510 to R1 020 per month.
(g) Grant for Grant-in-Aid to increase from R510 to R1 020 per month.
15. The EFF government will introduce a grant for unemployed graduates.
16. The EFF government will use leverage technology to introduce other means of distributing social grants to reduce queues at pay points.
17. The EFF government will build fee-free retirement villages and old age homes.
18. The EFF government will provide land, free seedlings and equipment for subsistence farming, including to villages, orphanages, and old age homes.
19. The EFF government will subsidize fares on public transportation for senior citizens.
20. The EFF government will produce sanitary products and distribute them for free in all public spaces including clinics, district, regional, tertiary, and central hospitals across the country by 2025.
21. The EFF government will prioritize the economic empowerment and development of women through enterprise development as well as social entrepreneurship (NGOs) and ensure access to long-term investments and fair financial practices, especially for women, LGBTIQA, people with disabilities and older persons.
22. The EFF government will implement effective programmes that are aimed at eradicating gender-based violence and femicide, as well as violence against children.
23. The EFF government will establish Multi-Purpose Community-based Centre (MPCC) in all municipalities to offer civic services and information, and make available Youth Advisory Centres and Opportunity Centres with connectivity to Wi-Fi and hardware and other tools to enhance their access to jobs applications and training opportunities.
24. Encourage and support self-sustaining community based leisure-time programmes to be coordinated with relevant Departments and partners e.g. safe playing spaces etc, vocational upskilling, informal mentorships, and municipal/community games etc.
25. The EFF government will provide access to finance and markets for the youth.
26. The EFF government will provide internship, learnership, as well as impactful skills development opportunities for the youth.
27. The EFF government will provide free education to all children of school-going age.
28. All children will have access to free Early Childhood Development education under the EFF government.
29. The EFF government will provide and monitor the provision of nutritious meals to all children at schools and ECD Centres.
30. The EFF government will introduce effective programmes that are aimed at providing information for the prevention of bullying and drug use at schools and timeous holistic intervention where necessary.
31. The EFF government will provide a Monthly Nutritional Pack for indigent families to augment the social grants.
32. The EFF government will introduce a Ward-based Social Worker for the direct provision of assessment, counselling, advice, linking to programmes, and referrals to households.
33. The EFF government will provide vulnerable households/indigent families with the expanded social package which includes (but is not limited to) free water and electricity as well as Monthly Nutritional Packs.
34. Under the EFF government, the list of VAT-free basic food staples will be increased, and will encourage concessions and discounts for older persons, families, and those with low income on products or services offered by the government and its partners.
35. The EFF government will provide recipients of social grants with free water and electricity.
36. The EFF government will make it illegal to lend money to the indigent.
37. The EFF government will build multi-sectorial post-domestic and sexual violence facilities, shelters, and social services centres to work with survivors and victims.
38. The EFF government will provide emergency housing, clothing, and food to victims of fire, floods, and unforeseen disasters.
39. The EFF government will provide treatment, post-treatment care, and rehabilitation facilities for people suffering from substance abuse and violence.
40. The EFF government will introduce a specialised police unit to stop the supply of illegal drugs.
41. The EFF government will ensure efficient adoption, foster care, co-parenting, and guardianship services and centres to receive those in need.
42. The EFF government will provide free transport to all pensioners, persons with disabilities, and orphans to get to and from social grant pay points.
43. The EFF government will arrange for people who are sick and cannot get to social grant pay points to receive their grants and basic essentials on a monthly basis.
44. Under the EFF government, all children living in child-headed households will be placed into foster care.
45. The EFF government will establish both in-patient and out-patient substance abuse rehabilitation facilities.
46. Under the EFF government, willing displaced persons (including people living and working on the streets) will be reunified with their families.
PLAN OF ACTION ON DISABILITIES
DISABILITIES
1. The EFF government will introduce policies in both the public and private sectors to impose measurable goals and targets for the recruitment, employment, and retention of people with disabilities and impairments to promote their economic independence and reduce their dependence on charity and welfare.
2. The EFF government will enforce the mandatory reasonable accommodation for public and private sectors, taking into account the diversity of persons with disabilities, to ensure people with disabilities and impairments can perform their duties and stay in the jobs with prospects of career advancements.
3. The EFF government will ensure that each and every public institution such as hospitals, police stations, home affairs offices, labour offices, and social development offices have at least two people who are trained at and understand sign language to cater for people who cannot speak.
4. The EFF government will make disability studies part of the school curriculum for basic South African sign language and also have the requirement for competency for public and private sectors. SASL must be expressed in public communication and education programs.
5. The EFF government will actively and materially support initiatives to organise and mobilise the disability sector so that it can constantly and integrally communicate its concerns and amplify its voice in society guided by the principle; ‘Nothing about us without us!’
6. The EFF government will ensure that the department is serving the constituents the same, that there is fairness in distribution of funds for programs and interventions. The EFF government will consider institutional mechanisms that will work to ensure the slogan is more than an aspiration.
7. Under the EFF government, the President will assume direct responsibility for people in vulnerable situations and report on progress annually in their State of the Nation Address, to ensure the promotion, formulation and evaluation of the policies, plans, programmes and actions at the national, and subnational levels to further equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities.
8. The EFF government will ensure that all government buildings and facilities such as police stations, hospitals, clinics, schools and universities are accessible to people with disabilities and impairments.
9. The EFF government will incorporate building designs, language and values of true accessibility and inclusion.
10. The EFF government will ensure that the public transport system is accessible to people with disabilities and impairments.
11. The EFF government will ensure that every mode of public transport has ramps, handrails, screens and information accessible for hearing and visual impairments as well, so that there is a level of independence that those functionalities provide.
12. The EFF government will establish postgraduate and doctoral scholarships for people with disabilities and impairments in all fields of study, especially underrepresented fields.
13. The EFF government will establish a manufacturing and repairs plant for mobility and assistive aids (wheelchairs, handrails, raised seats, crutches, special orthopaedic boots audio aids, visual aids etc) to ensure affordability and sustainability to people with disabilities and impairments.
14. The EFF government will establish a universal design of public spaces to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the physical environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost to them.
15. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities and contributes to societies that are more inclusive.
16. The EFF government understands disability as an evolving concept and that disability and impairments result from the interaction between persons with impairments and systemic and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Therefore the EFF government will actively and meaningfully involve people with disabilities and impairments in all matters concerning policies, resourcing and programmes.
17. The EFF government will include a gender perspective in all matters related to disability rights.
18. The EFF government will prioritize the right to equality as essential to inclusive development, ensuring that women, LGBTQIA+ people, older people, and others in vulnerable situations with disabilities and impairments are given precedence to enjoy the full enjoyment of their human rights.
19. The EFF government will adopt a national disability strategy and action plan to integrate in the long-term a life-cycle approach to disability rights that shifts from an isolated priority to a key measure of development for the whole of society.
20. The EFF government will promote the human rights of persons diagnosed with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities and impairments, and ensure necessary treatment and social support, respecting the dignity, and autonomy of persons with disabilities and impairments, through a health system that does not rely overly on institutionalization.
21. The EFF government will achieve substantive equality, through systems and processes to ensure equitable access to opportunities, goods, facilities and services, and to also ensure that people can access them in a manner that meets any unique needs and circumstances. The EFF government understands the context of the historical injustices and the social power matrix of the people that have disabilities and impairments.
22. The EFF government will use models of service delivery, healthcare, and policy frameworks that address the lived experiences of those who experience discrimination on multiple grounds due to having a disability and impairments.
24. The EFF government will respect, fulfil, and protect the right to health of people with disabilities and impairments in clinical care, at the level of health systems, and in the underlying and social determinants of health. This is integral to the realization of all human rights and to ensure people are able to participate in the economic, social, civil spheres amongst others.
Issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 10 February 2024. Full PDF can be read here.
