Good party secretary-general Brett Herron said that, in order to fix the country’s economy, financial support had to be provided to small businesses to reduce unemployment, while more investment was needed in public employment programmes.
Good party secretary-general Brett Herron on Saturday delivered the party’s manifesto in Johannesburg, setting out a 10-point plan the party said would revive the economy, create jobs, and deliver basic services.
Herron said the party believed investment in public infrastructure – such as electricity, transport, water, housing and digital communications – was needed for real economic growth and job creation.
He said financial support had to be provided for small businesses to reduce unemployment, while there needed to be more investment in public employment programmes.
“Basic services like electricity, water and sewerage must be affordable. What use is an electrical connection if you can't afford any units?” Herron asked.
On the question of state land, Herron said public land belonged to the people of South Africa and should be used for the public good.
“The public good includes socio-economic objectives, land reform, black economic empowerment, alleviation of poverty, job creation, and the redistribution of wealth.
“We must accelerate development of renewable energy generation and end load shedding, in partnership with the private sector.”
On transport, Herron said the government had to prioritise and build quality public transport systems to allow people to connect to the economy affordably.
To deal with corruption, the party has called for processes to be put in place to “prevent and detect corruption and put crooked state officials in jail, not in government”.
Herron said communities had to be empowered to assist the police to fight crime and gender-based violence and femicide.
“There is a need to redress the socio-economic conditions. It is obvious we need better policing, but we also need to address the conditions that make crime prevalent in South Africa: poverty and inequality.”
He said the party’s plan was for a fairer and more prosperous society free from human suffering.
“Our leader (Patricia de Lille) has reminded us of the terrible suffering that still persists in our country. And most of us already know all too well what South Africa’s problems are.
“But few have taken the time to think carefully about the issues and find solutions that are properly researched, properly thought out and realistically capable of solving the problems we face.”
The Mercury