By
Prof CT Msimang, MP
Honourable Speaker
The executive summary of the ruling party’s 2014 election manifesto reads as follows:
“South Africa has begun a new and far-reaching phase of its democratic transition. This calls for bold and decisive steps to place the economy on a qualitatively different path. The National Development Plan (NDP) aims to eradicate poverty, increase employment, create sustainable livelihoods and reduce inequality by 2030.”
The question is – has this country seen anything bold or decisively different since that statement? The answer must be a resounding “No” because there is nothing either bold or decisive save the ruling party’s repackaging of worn-out rhetoric.
Every year it’s the same old song. We are developing infrastructure, creating millions of jobs, stamping out corruption, reducing crime, improving healthcare and promoting local procurement of goods and services.
I would think that if we were serious about being bold and decisive about qualitatively improving our economy, we would start by:
Actually providing basic service delivery and infrastructure; stopping the haemorrhaging of our GDP through incessant power outages and shortages and what about scrapping ETolls – altogether? The above would be “bold and decisive” and would immediately and qualitatively improve our economy.
Tightening up in terms of fiscal revenue collected at SARS would also help– how many hundreds of millions have we lost through theft and corruption?
Honourable Speaker, being bold and decisive infers that one admits that one has been timid and indecisive for too long. In the ruling party’s case this has been for the last 21 years. It’s high time that the ruling party took the high road and actually walked its talk.
Year upon year of baseless and empty rhetoric does not inspire a nation or correct an underperforming economy.
Honourable Speaker, The IFP agrees with the sentiment of this topic but fears that it is just that – a topic. No matter how great the rhetoric or plans put on paper are, the evidence of failure is etched in the faces of our people as they struggle to even meet their basic needs.
Continual references to how bad the economy is does not justify the lack of service delivery in our communities, or the lack of political will to decisively deal with corruption in government. The truly bold and decisive steps needed to improve our economy cannot be taken without empowering our people first – because they are the foundations on which this very economy rests.
I thank you.
Contact
Prof. CT Msimang, MP on 082 452 2650
IFP Media, Parliament