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The M&G election guide: ANC

Apr 21 2009 06:00

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African National Congress

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma ANC president

Around this time last year the great debate was whether the ANC would persist in fielding Jacob Zuma as its presidential candidate. His recent controversial past, including a rape trial, possible trial for fraud and corruption and fears that he could be unpopular among women put the would-be candidate’s future in jeopardy.

But that’s all over now. In the past year the ANC has run an intense, well-calculated campaign that has seen Zuma introduced to overseas investors, heads of states, minority groups across the country and to the tens of thousands of ordinary South Africans who come to ANC rallies en masse.

The debate now is what kind of president he’ll make. Reading prepared speeches, peppered with verses of Umshini Wam, Zuma has shied away from controversial comments such as the ones previously made about gays, women wearing kangas and isolating teenage mothers.

With his election as ANC president and tendency to surround himself with radical individuals who harbour grudges against Mbeki, Zuma has still managed to solidify what’s left of the ANC. And it appears that the party will poll more than 60% of the vote in the election.

There continues to be uncertainty over what government policy will be followed under Zuma -- he’s tailored his pronouncements to meet everyone else’s expectations.

Fikile Mbalula Head of election campaign

The former president of the Youth League is running the ruling party’s election campaign machinery with an impressive efficiency that has left the opposition parties lagging far behind. He has been responsible for strategies that include dragging Nelson Mandela from retirement to endorse the party, crowding Cope events with big ANC rallies and publicly attacking Mbeki, who was seen as a rallying figure for Cope.

CONTINUES BELOW

The party strategy has included door-to-door visits by its most prominent politicians, television and radio adverts, massive billboards, weekly rallies that have drawn thousands and intensification and focus on areas where the party has low support.

Mbalula is known as the man who fought tooth and nail for Zuma’s victory over Mbeki at Polokwane. He is number 11 on the ANC candidate list and is earmarked for a senior position in government.

Plans and promises

The ANC government plans to reduce contact crimes by 7% to 10% a year. The party acknowledges that the level of crime is “unacceptably high” and promises to overhaul the system

M&G says: With the highest murder rate in the world, the 7% to 10% target has been the same for the past four years. It has still not been realised.

A publicly funded and administered national health insurance system is to be phased in over the next five years

M&G says: Great idea. But where will funding come from? Perhaps we should start with the dismal healthcare provided by our public hospitals.

An early childhood development system spanning public and private sectors will be supported with the ANC government employing 15 000 trainers every year

M&G says: The ANC government closed down teacher colleges, calling them an apartheid creation. So where are the 15 000 teachers going to come from?

Improve the access of the poor to quality education by ensuring that 60% of schools are no-fee, as part of the progressive introduction of free and compulsory basic education

M&G says: The roll-out of no–fee schools has been difficult. Schools often receive money late and have to fundraise as there isn’t money to cover all expenses.

Current land reforms, for example the land and agricultural reform programme, are in the process of being strengthened and expanded to create sustainable rural livelihoods on a mass scale

M&G says: Then deputy president Jacob Zuma was responsible for the rural and urban development nodes programme, which was announced with great fanfare in 2005. Zilch is the best word to describe the amount of progress made since then.

The ANC says it will work towards unity, democracy and prosperity of the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, agitating for a fairer and more humane international trade and financial system and a just world order

M&G says: Our foreign policy has been a disaster. Our turn as chair of the United Nations Security Council was used to block discussions of Zimbabwean and Burmese human rights issues. But worst of all was the recent Dalai Lama blunder.

Fiscal and monetary policy mandates, including management of interest rates and exchange rates, should promote creation of decent employment, economic growth, broad-based industrialisation, reduced income inequality and other developmental imperatives

M&G says: Under ANC rule income inequality has increased, unemployment has soared and employment is a preserve of a few.

The ANC aims to come up with a strong developmental state with able planning capacity and the ability to intervene in strategic areas; state-owned enterprises are considered fundamental to the ability to intervene

M&G says: The dangers of creating a nanny state in which citizens live on grants always exists. But more concerning is the commitment to a developmental state when state enterprises such as SAA have become bottom-less pits, bailed out to the tune of hundreds of millions of taxpayer rands over the past few years.

Thirty percent land reform by 2014

M&G says: In the past 15 years only 5.5% of land reform -- the transfer of land to black hands -- has been completed; activists say that at the current pace there is no way there will be 30% land reform by 2014.

For the track record
We tally up the ANC government’s big wins -- and losses -- since the last round of election promises

Economic growth in South Africa consistently exceeded the 3% average in the first decade of freedom under an ANC government. Since 2004 the growth rate had passed that marker every year -- making it the first time in South Africa's history that there have been four successive years of GDP growth above 4.5%.

Impressive. But consider, too, that much of the rest of the world’s developing economies were performing much the same until the collapse of the global markets.

What’s most disappointing about our performance is that the growth was not accompanied by the creation of employment, which remains a key challenge.

Black ownership as a whole remains low with a recent survey putting black ownership of the economy at about 12% -- certainly an improvement from 1994 but clearly inadequate.

Since March 2003 the rate of unemployment has fallen from 31.2% to 25.5% in March 2007. Yet this figure is correct only when we use the broader definition of employment, which includes informal trading. Labour analysts say a narrower definition would find that unemployment sits at 40%.

Meanwhile, basic service use has increased. The proportion of households that use electricity went from 56% in 1996 to 80% in 2007; those who have access to piped water in their homes or on site increased from 61% in 1996 to 70% in 2007. Households with access to flush toilets increased from 52% in 1996 to 60.4% in 2007, whereas the number of those living in formal dwellings barely inched up from 69% in 1996 to 71% in 2007.

There was a decrease in a number of crime categories, especially contact crimes such as murder, rape, assault and robbery with aggravating circumstances. But truck hijackings, business and home robberies, indecent assault and arson have increased.

The government's plan to combat HIV-Aids continues to be implemented, informed by an updated national comprehensive strategy. Patients on antiretrovirals now exceed 300 000. Still, when talking HIV and Aids in South Africa, it’s impossible not to mention that many thousands of lives might have been saved had former president Thabo Mbeki and his Cabinet not prevaricated at crucial times before succumbing to civil society pressure and finally introducing the comprehensive strategy.

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Comments

Maybe,its okay

Given the basic monopolic ideas greedly designed to ban the majority out of the route of opportunities,skill,services and cut the out of contact;we stand no chance:but to estabish all-supported-program of action aim to address such imbalance.We will be fulfilling our constitutional mandate,obligation of equality and citizenship.

I,based on founded evidence,welcome they changes that the ANC-LED government has done,national.I am not so sure if the rural communities are of the same status,respect and consideration on the eyes of our provincial and local government?It evil,inhuman,selfish and lacking veracity NOT TO DEVELOP,ASSIST RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO MAKE,WILL MAKE 70% OVER 'THEM-OUR'VOTERS.WE need change;change in thinking;change in doing;change we deserve.DEEDALE,SYDE.ETC STIL IN VAIN.

Finaly,I pay tribute to all sons and daughter of the soil whopayed the price for our country to be free.Today,it fees good to be Africa.Thanks to MADIBA TRAIN that loaded thinking tanks to guide us through.PLEASE DO NOT BETRAY OUR CAUSE FOR FREE,DEMOCRATIC,NON-RACIAL MZANSI.Voting for the generations to come,will they blame it on us?
God bless the meaningful colours of our South African flat.ONS LAND,ONS TOEKOMS.

ZIGGY V.DEEPDALE
LE EMPUMALANGA.

ZIGGY vilakazi on April 21, 2009, 10:57 am

The ANC has had three terms in office. Their achievements, while acknowledged, are few compared to the failures to achieve and indeed by comparison are inadequate. The ESKOM power debacle did not get a mention in the above, which is a significant oversight.

With this dismal track record, the ANC does not deserve to be entrusted with another term in office.

Duncan McGregor on April 21, 2009, 11:58 am

Is the work of the mail and guardian to expose the weaknesses of the Anc or to give unbiased reporting? As long as you have these hidden agendas you will always lag behind in your reporting. You are a bunch of disgruntled imperialists and Africa is running shot of space to accommodate you. Run your propaganda machine somewhere else. Like the old saying used to say if you cant beat them then you better join them. Even an unschooled peasant can see right through you. A despicable bunch of racist commentators. Get it through your thick sculls that we as black people we have our own role models, and for us to standby and see you denigrate their dignity is tantamount to betrayal. If you are not happy with the state of affairs in Mzanzi then find some greener pastures somewhere else. It is only those few black people like Joe Seremane that you have brainwashed, the rest of the black populacy knows where the architects of apartheid came from. You have no right whatsoever to preach to us about morality. You are the benefactors of a previously unjust system. Remember the wheel is turning and those who have abused others to better their own ends will always prefer the status quo to remain the same. Shape up or ship out.

Peter Garayi on April 21, 2009, 12:47 pm

Excellent summary. Considering their record in the past the ANC has come to the voters with a big bag of empty promises. How the hell can we believe them now?

jaycee van rooyen on April 21, 2009, 7:31 pm

I wish to conquer with my homeboy ,friend and comrade Ziggy Vilakazi when saying we need change mental and in doing .It is an undenielable fact that people in the rural areas are still living in very serious abject poverty and it is my view that this time around our comrades must put rural development in to centre stage .Surely we have been to elections yesterday and people braved the chilly weather just to make sure that the party they love and cherish which is the African National congress and thanks for their loyality to the movement and now its time to put more extra effort to change the lives of the poor South Africans.Together we can do more.

johannes Indonesia nkosi on April 23, 2009, 7:45 am

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The M&G election guide: ANC

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