Change is Now has plan to turn ailing South Africa around

CAPE TOWN - Change is Now leader, Roger Jardine, says the true state of the nation is one of broken dreams.

He said that by throwing his hat into the ring, he hopes his party can bring much-needed expertise from the business sector to bear on government processes.

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club on Tuesday, Jardine said he believed the lack of investment and joblessness were at the heart of the country’s instability.

Former FirstRand chairperson, Roger Jardine, said that the African National Congress (ANC) had failed in too many respects to allow it to continue to govern.

From an electricity and water crisis, to the collapse of public health care, failed SOEs and a procurement network of patronage, Jardine said his party had a plan to turn this all around.

"If we are to become a country that is truly pro-poor and restores faith in democracy, this should go hand-in-hand with a strong social solidarity compact between the extremely rich and the extremely poor."

He said his party was open to working with most political parties but first, it needed to solidify its own base.

"Coalitions in our view cannot be about sharing the spoils. Our intention is to be part of a coalition that forms the next government on the basis of a shared view of the visions, values and platform for change."

Change is Now is set to share its vision for government when it launches its party manifesto later this month.