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The spokespersons of the ANC, DA and the EFF fire away at each other in a bid to win favour with voters in the run-up to the August 3 elections. The issues they each raise highlight their focus and fears.
DA national spokesperson Phumzile van Damme MP on the EFF’s manifesto
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) manifesto is a document that illustrates the confusion between the party’s ideology of revolution and its aims to become a party of government through democratic elections.
The document makes reference to the fact that the EFF wants to contest in the election, but that this should not be confused with its determination to “remove the current government by any other revolutionary means”.
The constant threat that the party will resort to violence and ignore the democratic choice of the majority of South Africa’s electorate is one of a number of problematic statements in the manifesto that shows that the EFF has no respect for the rule of law.
The EFF manifesto, “our last chance for jobs and service delivery”, also reveals the concerning lack of understanding, on the party’s part, of how the local government sphere works. Its commitment to expropriate land through the use of a bylaw, for example, illustrates this lack of understanding of the competencies of local government, as well as the commitment to property rights enshrined in the Constitution.
This is the first of a number of empty promises regarding land reform, healthcare and the creation of municipal-owned entities. They beg a number of worrying questions.
Firstly, these is no indication of how the EFF will sustainably fund these promises (as some are not funded local government mandates) and, secondly, how the EFF will deliver on these promises in terms of potential conflict with the extensive legislation that pertains to the local government sphere.
When speaking about councillors who do not serve the communities that elected them, the EFF manifesto claims that “all political parties do not have mechanisms to constantly monitor their municipalities and councillors” – this is incorrect.
The DA has an M&E [monitoring and evaluation] system that tracks the service-delivery performance of every DA-led government. In addition, every councillor who represents our party is performance managed on a yearly basis.
The commitments and qualities which are expected of EFF councillors (section B of the EFF document) smack of ANC ideology and are not a new or innovative plan for transparent local government. In short, there is no EFF offer to stop corruption, and the EFF offer will not create more jobs for South Africa.
Indeed, the requirement that businesses either be community-trust based, or “invest” 40% of their profit into the municipality, is likely to crush any local economy and lead to further unemployment.
Finally, in line with the above, there is also no clear plan to deliver better services, and their plans lack credibility; the EFF has no governance record.
The reality of local government is that it is incredibly complex and requires extensive, developed human capital and experience. For many municipalities, public-private partnerships provide necessary skills.
The EFF would have voters believe that it is possible to deliver quality services with municipal-owned entities. They are likely hotbeds of corruption, and have already been tried by the ANC. The City of Johannesburg’s recent Pikitup crises show how successful adding a layer of bureaucracy is at providing services.
ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa on the DA’s manifesto
The DA manifesto is a carbon copy of the 2011 ANC manifesto. It uses the same language. Three examples: It uses language similar to ours like “Together, we move South Africa”. It uses the term “radical”.
Its use of title deeds [the granting of ownership to township housing] is similar to ours – in our manifestos, we say title deeds bring dignity to people. Another one: the access to broadband was first flaunted by the ANC in 2011.
It is political plagiarism – a cut-and-paste job. Suddenly, the DA is about the provision of housing, and being a responsive and caring government. This shows me that no party can define itself outside of the ANC.
Even in its use of performance contracts, we started those in 2011, where President Zuma signed agreements with elected office bearers. In their quest to win the black vote, they can’t do anything the ANC has not done.
But where we differ is that we are not afraid to use the word ‘transformation’ in its proper meaning – the DA does not do this. There is no redress [for the past] in their manifesto.
There is a one-line acknowledgement in their manifesto of progress in South Africa after 1994; then they switch to negative campaigning.
The DA is also starting to define itself as a mass movement by using stadiums and rallies, but it doesn’t have a mass base.
EFF national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on the ANC’s manifesto
The ANC manifesto is a merry-go-round. It repeats the same thing. The party is relying on the same type of job opportunities, called the Expanded Public Works Programme, as the driving force of its manifesto.
But these are precarious labour contracts. Instead, the ANC should build state capacity and resolve its own problems.
I can’t see any effort to build state capacity. One of the things crippling local government is the tender system, which is a form of outsourcing. There is a big thing of insourcing these days.
Local government must be ambitious and create quality jobs. Workers must be on permanent contracts so they can say: “For the next few years, I am in this contract. I can get credit.”
This gives the state capacity, it builds internal capacity.
When we are on the ground, the first thing people complain about is these public works – they are corrupted. People complain these are given in exchange for sex, sold, or bribes are taken for these jobs. And, they are only given if you show an ANC membership card.
It’s a phenomenon across South Africa. ANC people look out for each other. The same people get the tender. They never deliver. It’s either they don’t deliver or they do a very poor job. There are parks not completed.
There are roads that are not completed. This is why local government services don’t grow. There is no guarantee of capacity. We see the same neoliberal character of the state at local government level – they only create conditions for business and investment to come.
But it hasn’t worked. They are not talking about anything new. They think they can resolve the protests by being participatory and inclusive, but that’s not the answer.
The ANC must find professionals to work for the state. Half the time those comrades don’t look and hunt for quality.
It’s about creating jobs for their comrades. You must be willing to advertise properly and establish meritocratic systems.
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