MEDIA STATEMENT
BY THE
INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY
IFP President : ANC's Pro-Poor Policies Have Widened Poverty
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15th March 2009 The ANC's "pro-poor" policies, underpinned by the vision of a crony society and centralised management of the state, have curtailed South Africa's economic growth, bred corruption and widened poverty, IFP President Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi told thousands of supporters in Newcastle today. Instead of creating opportunity, Prince Buthelezi argued, the ANC has concentrated more power in the hands of a so-called "developmental state", controlled by loyal ANC cadres. "As a result, our state institutions now serve the interests of the ruling party or its particular faction rather than all the people. The inevitable by-product of centralisation and cronyism is rampant corruption," he said. One glaring instance of mismanagement and corruption hampering development in KwaZulu Natal is the ANC's handling of Ithala since 2004. "Whereas the erstwhile KwaZulu Government allocated development finance via Ithala to those who genuinely cared about development, today Ithala's assets are being pillaged by MECs, their relatives and senior civil servants affiliated to the ANC," said Prince Buthelezi. The IFP President dismissed much of the ANC's election manifesto as a belated response to previous neglect. "Following many years of institutional neglect, boosting the fight against HIV/Aids, renovating more hospitals, hiring of more nurses on better pay scales, reopening of training colleges and launching a publicly funded national health insurance system are all desperately overdue," said Prince Buthelezi. The IFP President described his party's mission as one that seeks to liberate South Africa's poor economically. "We aspire to lead South Africa into a second wave of democratic renewal, deepening democracy and spreading prosperity among our people. Having attained liberal freedoms in 1994, South Africans are yet to be liberated economically," said Prince Buthelezi. The IFP President emphasised the IFP's
track record in government, tight fiscal management and basic
integrity. "We have taken exemplary action against corrupt
representatives in our own ranks. We act resolutely whenever and
wherever we detect corruption. Wherever we are in power at local
level, we run a tight ship. IFP-run municipalities are examples
of frugal administration. We prioritise the needs of the poorest
of the poor among our residents," said Prince Buthelezi. Contact: |
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