Your vote can bring change, your vote can bring jobs, your vote can make history!

Note to Editors: This is the text of a speech delivered by Helen Zille at the DA's final 'Vote for Jobs' election rally in Johannesburg today. 

May 3 2014

Fellow South Africans, friends, Democrats, Blue People everywhere - welcome to the DA's magnificent final election rally here in Jozi - our "Vote for Jobs" Rally. 

It's been a long campaign. We've worked day and night.

Sisebenza ubusuku nemini.

We've travelled to every corner of our beautiful country. We launched our campaign in Limpopo nine weeks ago, and have criss-crossed all nine provinces, telling Mzantsi about our plan for economic growth that can bring jobs to millions more South Africans.

Wherever the DA's ‘Bluenami' has gone, we have been amazed at the response of South Africans from every community. 

Hundreds of thousands of you are looking forward to voting for the DA for the first time on Wednesday. Millions of South Africans are uniting behind the DA as the only hope for positive change.

We are building a new, blue majority to govern South Africa.

At our launch in Polokwane 63 days ago I said that this election is about the choice voters must make to build a better life for all South Africans. 

Your government's job is to make this progress possible - to grow an economy that creates jobs, to improve education, provide decent health care and deliver services. 

Remember that in a democracy, the government is supposed to work for you. You hire it. And you can fire it. And we all know how it's done: You hire with your vote and you fire with your vote. 

If our government was doing its work properly, South Africa would be attracting more investment and the economy would be growing much faster to create the jobs we need to tackle our biggest problem: unemployment and poverty.

When a government becomes corrupt, when it does not do its job properly, the economy declines, unemployment grows, poverty deepens and the powerful few get richer and richer. 

That is the sad story of our own country over the last five years. It does not have to be this way. 

If we think back further than the past five years, there is no doubt that life in South Africa today is better than it was under apartheid. Every adult now has the right to vote. We have social grants that protect the poor from extreme poverty. We have a constitution that should limit power abuse. We have put in place measures to redress the evil legacy of apartheid.

Many of us in the DA fought for these changes, and we all celebrate them.

Under Presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, there was economic growth and development. And that meant more jobs. We did not agree with everything the government did, yet there was progress. 

But in the last five years, under President Jacob Zuma, the ANC has changed. Its leaders believe they will rule forever, so they have forgotten about the voters who put them in power.

The ANC has become arrogant because they believe that the voters will carry on voting for them, whatever they do. Well, they are in for a big shock on Wednesday. Bazokothuka. Hulle gaan groot skrik.

Because everywhere we have been in South Africa the people have told us the same thing. iANC Ayisafani. Die ANC is nie meer dieselfde nie. It is not the organisation it once was. It has become corrupt and only cares about the few at the top.

It is time to send the ANC a clear message. And the only way you can do that is with your vote.

Ivoti yakho ngamandla akho. U stem is u mag om ‘n korrupte regering die trekpas te gee.

In four days' time you can send Jacob Zuma's ANC a message that says: We demand change -- less corruption, better services and more jobs. We demand change!

Sinyanzelisa utshintsho. Ons dring aan op verandering.

The DA is the party that can bring this change. 

I-DA lilona qela linokuzisa utshintsho.

Die DA is die enigste party op die stembrief wat daardie verandering kan bring.

That future is with the DA! Ikamva lisezandleni zenu.

Just a few days ago, Mmusi and I went to visit a hostel in Alex here in Jozi, where we met many families living in terrible conditions. Hostels are a relic of apartheid, and they exist all over South Africa, but where the DA governs the programme of turning hostels into homes is making good progress. 

In Alex, I saw the opposite. I saw a hostel sinking in sewage and waste despite a multi-million Alexander Renewal programme launched 7 years ago. I spoke to Mrs Cynthia Msiya who told me that the project was bogged down in conflict and corruption. Mrs Msiya demanded to know what had happened to the millions budgeted for the upgrade. 

Today we say to all South Africans what I said to Cynthia. Enough of corruption.

Phantsi ngoRhwapiliso phantsi. Down corruption down!

Enough is enough! Genoeg is genoeg. Kwanele kwanele! 

It is time to stand together for change, together for jobs. Saam vir verandering, saam vir werk.

Ke nako. Lixesha ngoku. Siyasebenzisana ukudala utshintsho; siyasebenzisana ukudala imisebenzi.

Re ebetsa mmoho, ho tlisa phetoho. Re sebetsa mmoho, ho etsa mesebetsi.

When President Zuma became President 5 years ago, he promised 5 million jobs. But we have seen 1.4 million MORE unemployed people. He promised that he would stop corruption. Hayi ukusihlekisa!

If you only remember one thing when you go to vote next Wednesday, remember this: Unemployment is lowest where the DA governs. In the past five years, we created more jobs than any of the other provinces, and we have cut corruption! 

The broad unemployment rate where the DA governs is 12% lower than the national average. Don't take my word for it. These are statistics published by the national government.

According to the United Nations, the DA-run Cape Town has the lowest levels of inequality of all South Africa's major cities.

Since we have been in government, the average matric pass rate in our poorest schools increased from 57% to 73%.

76% of the Western Cape's budget is spent on service delivery in poor communities.

According to the Census, 99% of households in the Western Cape have access to piped water, 93.4% have access to electricity and 90.5% have access to flush toilets. This is the highest access in the country.

And people are beginning to recognise this. That is why the biggest association of shackdwellers in South Africa, Abahlali Basemjondolo, has endorsed the DA in this election. They know they get much better services where the DA governs.

Now imagine what we could do if the voters gave us a chance to govern South Africa. It is up to you.

The DA is strong - we have never been stronger. The DA is for all South Africans - we are growing in every community, in every province, in every village. 

There is not a single street in South Africa today where you will not find Blue People. The Bluenami is everywhere. 

And together, we can win. Together, we can build an economy that gives everyone an opportunity to live a life they value.

This is the DA difference. Ngumehlukho we-DA. Dit is die DA verskil.

Just imagine how South Africa would look after the next five years if voters give the DA a chance on Wednesday. Think of what we can do if we stand together for change, together for jobs. Sinike ithuba!

The DA difference will help people to start and grow businesses, and create more jobs.

The DA difference is that politicians serve the people, not the other way around. You will not find an Nkandla where the DA governs!

The DA difference means that social grants are efficiently administered, without corruption. It means millions more people getting opportunities to succeed in life, to study, to work, to build a future for their families.

The DA difference means that people have hope. Yindawo apho abantu banethemba

Everybody knows that you cannot talk about having a better life without a job. 

That's why the DA has a plan that will grow the economy to create 6 million REAL, permanent jobs: 

Under a DA government, no politicians or their families will be able to do business with government. Every tender process will be open up to the public - just like it is today where the DA governs. 

We will improve education for our children by delivering textbooks to every child in every subject, on time, and by training 75 000 new teachers. 

The DA guarantees university funding for all qualifying Matrics. We will budget R16 billion for the student financial aid scheme, called NSFAS, so that there is not a single person in South Africa that deserves to go to university but cannot afford to. 

We will put 1 million young people into internships over five years so that they can get work experience. 

And we will invest at least 10% of our country's GDP in new roads, ports, railways, airways, water and communication infrastructure that the economy needs to grow. 

Democrats, friends and voters:

This election comes down to two basic questions:

"Is South Africa a better place than it was five years ago?" 

"Is your life better than it was in 2009?"

Ingaba ubomi bakho bubetele ku nango 2009?

For the majority of South Africans, the answer to both questions is "no". Imphendulo ngu hayi.

My appeal to you is simple. Stand together with the DA on 7 May. 

Vote for the DA and see what we will do over the next five years. 

Stand with the DA together for change, together for jobs. 

We can change South Africa if we work together; 

Let's unite together on 7 May and vote for a diverse and dynamic force for change that will bring jobs. 

On 7 May, the Bluenami is coming to South Africa! 

On 7 May, Vote DA! 

Issued by the DA, May 3 2014

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