The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has unveiled its 13-point programme of action as part of its manifesto. Top of the Agenda is to deal with the high unemployment crisis, fixing the country’s energy challenges which remain a thorn in the flesh for South Africans.
IFP supporters and members packed the 56 000 capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium to the rafters on Sunday. This show of force by the official opposition in Kwa Zulu-Natal a signal that it intends to snatch the province from the hands of the African National Congress (ANC).
Party leader Velenkosini Hlabisa outlined a package of interventions the party proposes to tackle joblessness including a 12-month internship of all graduates at municipalities, the roll out of a R3 000 grant for unemployed graduates for a fixed period of time, resuscitating struggling SOEs, cutting the cost of data by 50% and ensuring that companies employ at least 80% of South Africans in their workforce.
“Companies must employ a minimum of 80% of the people of South African compared to foreign nationals. The IFP will reserve job opportunities in the entry-level and low-skill sectors for South Africans only, focusing on the youth. We will reserve the small enterprise market and the spaza shop industry for South Africans.”
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has launched its election manifesto at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, on Sunday. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/LsLJ6ojXen
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 10, 2024
The IFP leader did not mince his words when it comes to its immigration policies. Amongst the measures, he says an IFP government will implement will be to ban the operation of businesses found to be employing illegal immigrants, ensure effective administration of the deportation system, review the permits of all foreign nationals within a six month period, and give a period of amnesty period to allow those in the country illegally to apply for a permit or exit the country.
He announced additional measures: “We will immediately deploy the SANDF to ports of entry and borders and fortify our borders through the construction of border walls, to strengthen border control and ensure the integrity of our borders.”
Hlabisa added that an IFP administration would invoice the governments of foreign nationals treated as South African healthcare facilities. In an effort to mitigate the high levels of crime in the country, the party wants to open a national dialogue on the re-instatement of the death penalty.
IFP election manifesto launch I Hlabisa unveils party’s 13-point plan for SA:
Additionally, the party says it will set up special courts to deal with corruption and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), and ensure a strong well funded National Prosecutions Authority (NPA).
With regards to grants, Hlabisa says while the IFP believes in empowering people towards self help, it also believes in caring and supporting the most vulnerable in society.
“We will review all grant categories and increase grants where necessary. The Old Age Grant and Child Grant will be increased under the IFP lead government We will link all grants to opportunities and training to uplift recipients.”
With regard to land reform — Hlabisa said the following:
“We will commission a full-scale land audit to determine who owns what, and use these findings to focus on State land, redistributing it where necessary and supporting community projects to farm land commercially. Reallocate all unused land that is in the hands of the State, for the benefit of the poor.”
The IFP says it will also work closely with traditional leaders and taxi operators to resolve the challenges they face in their respective sectors.
It says it will ensure the end of load shedding by enlisting the help of the private sector and ensuring a variety of energy sources including nuclear and coal to power the country’s power grid.
IFP leader says economic emancipation is central to addressing the imbalances of the past:
