The country was abuzz with election fever on Saturday as various parties launched their 2019 election manifestos.
In Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) launched their manifestos in different parts of the province.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane called for the country to vote for change while PAC leader Narius Moloto said he was convinced that his party would win the May polls.
Watch DA leader key note address at manifesto below:
In Limpopo the African People’s Convention (APC) launched its manifesto with President Themba Godi saying his party wanted to work on a programme of returning land to its rightful owners.
In the Northern Cape, the Alliance for Indigenous and True South Africans (AITSA)’s manifesto proposed a first nation tax levy should they govern.
The newly-formed Land Party has announced former African National Congress (ANC) councilor, Loyiso Nkohla, as its premier candidate for the Western Cape. The party led by the community activist from Hermanus in the Over-strand, Ngcobani Nzongana, will contest the May elections nationally and in all the provinces.
It is expected to launch its election manifesto on the 21st of March.
Buntu Gwija from the party’s national communication’s team says Nkohla has the experience of working with people in the province.
“From today onwards, we shall get into the field. We have already worked with different communities in the areas of Cape Town, in particular the Western Cape. We are already galvanising towards our manifesto launch. We are already setting up structures in the different regions of the Western Cape and we have the leadership in every region,” says Gwija.
The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has urged traditional leaders to work with the party to return the land to the people.
PAC President Narius Moloto made the call during the launch of the party’s 2019 election manifesto in Johannesburg. The party’s manifesto focuses on returning land to the people, fighting crime and developing rural areas.
It also says nurses, soldiers and the police will not pay tax if the PAC wins the elections.
“We want to call upon the chiefs that they are sometime lost wherever they are. They must join hands with the PAC in this 2019 election, so that we return the land to the African people and to them. We will give them,” explains Moloto.
APC’s Godi says his party wants to work on a programme of returning land to its rightful owners. Godi has been speaking during the launch of his party’s manifesto launch in Mninginisi village outside Giyani in Limpopo.
Parts of the APC’s election promises include abolishing provinces, creating jobs and fighting corruption.
Godi says land must be restored to its original owners.
“We believe as the APC in the nationalisation and socialisation of the land to reverse colonial dispossession and to resolve the national question. We believe, as the APC, that the land ownership patterns do not reflect the land dynamics of the country. We want the land to be returned to its rightful owners,” says Godi.
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga says the DA needs to formulate a sustainable and firm policy on land reform in order to be taken seriously as a party which is ready to lead.
The United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) says government is not dealing decisively with corruption. The party launched its 2019 election manifesto in Ganyesa near Vryburg in the North West.
UCDP president Modiri Sehume says they are confident that the party will win the North West which is its stronghold.
Watch video manifesto launches below:
