The release of the latest unemployment numbers by StatsSA has demonstrated the continued impact of South Africa’s self-inflicted unemployment problem, with almost 11.2 million South Africans without jobs, and without the hope of finding a job.

The long-term failure of our government to address the drivers of unemployment in South Africa has generated our unemployment crisis by:

1. Long-term policy uncertainty and double-speak generating declining levels of business confidence.
2. Rigid Labour Laws that appease the tripartite alliance partners at the expense of the 11.1 million unemployed South Africans.
3. Ongoing decline in the functioning of the civil service, arising from cadre deployment.
4. Ongoing abuse of public procurement processes, in the name of broad-based empowerment, to continue the enrichment of the politically connected elite.
5. Further breakdown of the rule of law, including through the failure to take action against corrupt officials and politicians.

ActionSA has made it clear that we believe in the people of our country and that, together, we can get South Africa working. The people of South Africa bear the suffering of the failures of our government and this is why ActionSA is clear that the first step to getting South Africa working, must be the unseating of the ANC. This is why ActionSA has begun engaging the leaders of political parties to establish common ground in the collective effort to unseat the ANC.

Addressing the unemployment crisis in South Africa is the most important intervention once the ANC has been removed from government. Every South African who gains meaningful employment, is a household that is able to look after itself, allowing our government to do more for fewer households in need. ActionSA is committed to:

1. Clear and unambiguous economic policy that is implemented without contradiction, and generates business confidence and foreign direct investment.
2. Opposing the tenets of radical economic transformation, with a particular emphasis on land expropriation without compensation and the independence of the South African Reserve Bank.
3. Ending the era where trade unions have a veto right over economic policy. This includes fundamental reform to Labour Laws that make it easier to hire unemployed South Africans.
4. Massive investment in education, including the overhaul of the syllabus, with a focus on skills development and vocational training.
5. Identification of all state-owned properties and land, throughout the country, and the release of properties and land to the private sector based on economic returns. This includes inner city rejuvenation within all major metros.
6. The handing over of abandoned industrial parks and factories to manufacturers based on their proposals to generate economic activity and job creation.
7. Fundamental reform of the criminal justice system to ensure that the SAPS, NPA and court system operates effectively and builds confidence in the adherence to the rule of law.

Critical to the economic recovery of our country is the speedy rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine. Countries around the world, including on the African continent, are vaccinating their populations at a pace that will allow them to return to full economic activity. South Africa needs to fast-track its vaccination rollout and communicate a plan which generates confidence in our economic recovery.

ActionSA is clear that the reforms required will not be implemented under the ANC because it has become paralysed by factionalism and weak leadership. This is why the unseating of the ANC is critical, because the greatest challenges in our country can only be addressed when the ANC is consigned to the opposition benches in our country.

The 2021 local government elections will be the first opportunity to begin the process of unseating the ANC. ActionSA is committed to do this in major metros in South Africa and to put in place key measures to drive economic growth within the local government context.