The ANC manifesto: ANC’s plan for putting SA to work

1 March 2024

Since 1994, the South African economy has been radically transformed. The country is a much better place today than it was 30 years ago. South Africa's working class has, over the years under democracy, secured a fairer labour dispensation and rising wages. The black middle class, and cadre of black professionals have grown exponentially in wealth and influence. Access to land and tenure security for black South Africans in rural areas has increased. Currently, the number of people employed has reached its highest ever level with over 16.7 million employed.

A skills revolution, which led to creation Of new cohort Of professionals in various sectors Of the economy, has provided pathways from basic education to further and higher education to children of all races.

The firm economic foundation which we laid, helped our economy to withstand the economic crisis Of 2008 and later the COVID-19 pandemic. Both these devastations left our economy battered but it remained very resilient. The adoption Of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP), which included accelerating accelerate reforms and revitalization of various sectors placed our economy on a sustainable recovery from the pandemic, until it surpassed pre-pandemic levels in terms Of size and number Of jobs.

Building on the back Of this progress, much more needs to be done to create more jobs and lift the living standards of those who have been left behind. The ANC, through its Manifesto, is recommitting itself to putting the people's needs and dreams at the centre Of its programme, as it is the only party in South Africa that is capable of building on the successes of the first 30 years of democracy — and securing a better life.

The ANC's 2024 - 2029 manifesto, outlines a clear and realistic plan which arises from a period characterised by major economic transformation progress that has resulted in valuable lessons learnt, Which bodes us well for pivoting the economy towards accelerated growth.

The ANC-led government, to put the economy on a firm, is already taking decisive action to resolve the two major infrastructure challenges which are constraining growth, investment, and job creation, namely; load-shedding and the inefficiency Of rail and ports. In addition, we have also increased investments in the expansion of water infrastructure.

We will intensify the implementation Of the Energy Action plan and the recently adopted Rail and ports Strategy to ensure that we achieve energy security and a more efficient logistical system. We are making progress towards solving the passenger rail challenges. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, has to date, restored operations on 26 out of 40 commuter rail corridors. To continue with the restoration of our commuter rail corridors, more money will be spent over the next three years to modernise our passenger rail network.

Infrastructure investment will continue to play a central role in stimulating growth. As part of our infrastructure build, we will be undertaking significant water infrastructure projects which include dams, water treatment plants, pump stations and pipes in underserviced areas.

Investment in economic and social infrastructure will ensure basic services are affordable by maintaining and expanding subsidised basic services like water, houses and electricity for the poor. We will develop more subsidised human settlements. The housing policy will continue to evolve so that we can continue to build more subsidised houses, upgrade informal settlements and provide basic services, build more rental stock for the missing middle and confront urbanisation through the development of integrated human settlements in well located areas.

Our manifesto reflects the fact that ANC policies are driven by the interests of the masses of ordinary people and the working class, whose interests we continue to put at the centre of our economic policy. Our economic policy interventions seek to promote economic growth and transformation and our overriding economic objective is to accelerate job creation, particularly for young people.

The ANC understands that to achieve this objective, which will improve the lives of millions of people, our interventions must be economically sound and must be sustainable over the long term.

For example, we know that it is through avoiding ever-rising public debt that we will be able to sustainably allocate more resources towards social spending and improved infrastructure investment in schools, clinics, and hospitals, and enhance community safety.

In addition to strengthening the fiscal position of the State, the ANC manifesto outlines commitments for the democratic State to play a more effective role in leading structural reforms and guiding increased levels Of investment, to achieve accelerated employment creation.

Given the constraints Of the fiscus, we Will increase the efforts to crowd-in private sector investments, including through prescribed assets to infrastructure projects and industrialisation.

We Will place industrialisation at the centre Of our efforts to grow the economy by protecting existing industries, such as the steel industry and advancing the industries of the future, such as electric vehicles manufacturing.

We will continue to unapologetically pursue an inclusive and transformed economy by promoting and monitoring substantive participation of black people, women, youth and persons with disabilities in the mainstream economy, through legislative and policy interventions. This entails ensuring that the black industrialists program leads to the quantitative and qualitative increase and participation Of Black Industrialists in the national economy, selected industrial sectors and value chains, as reflected by their contribution to growth, investment, exports and employment. This further entails the creation Of multiple and diverse pathways and instruments for Black Industrialists to enter strategic and targeted industrial sectors and value chains.

In seeking to accelerate industrialisation and enhance infrastructure, boosting investment and job creation to significantly higher levels, structural reforms Will be complemented by various mechanisms Which mobilise additional private sector investments towards building an inclusive economy. These mechanisms will be well-designed to ensure that they result in a win-win situation.

Issued by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, National Spokesperson, ANC, 1 March 2024