Elections 101: Unsure who to vote for? Party promises, in a nutshell...

As South Africans prepare to head to the polls on 29 May, confusion and uncertainty regarding voting choices has intensified.

To help voters find clarity amidst over 300 contesting parties, we've compiled a list of some of the key contenders and summarised their manifestos.

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC)

The African National Congress (ANC) traces its origins back to 1912 when it was established as a national liberation movement to unify African people and lead the fight for fundamental political, social, and economic transformation.

Its vision centred on creating a unified, non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic society.

Their key priorities include:

• Job creation: Over the next five years, the ANC pledges to generate and sustain 2.5 million job opportunities by providing essential public goods and services in communities.
• Industrial development for inclusive growth: They intend to achieve this by implementing a comprehensive industrial strategy to promote growth and create opportunities, especially for youth and the unemployed.
• Addressing the high cost of living: Their focus for the next five years will be on ensuring food security, expanding subsidised basic services, enhancing healthcare provision, and implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.
• Investing in human capital: The ANC aims to meet the basic needs of all citizens, enhance education, improve healthcare outcomes, and enhance service delivery over the next five years.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (DA)

The DA is committed to achieving freedom and fairness for all South Africans.

Their goal is to establish a fair society that allows people to fully utilise their talents and abilities.

The DA forms part of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, a significant development in politics.

As a leading coalition partner, the DA’s main priorities for the 2024-2029 term will be to:

• Create two million jobs
• Stop loadshedding and water cuts
• Reduce violent crime by half, including murder, attempted murder, and gender-based violence
• End political appointments and focus on appointing qualified individuals based on merit, ensuring effective governance
• Lift six million people out of poverty
• Improve literacy by tripling the number of grade four students who can read with understanding
• Ensure quality healthcare for everyone, regardless of income.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS (EFF)

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was founded in 2013 to unite revolutionary activists and community organisations.

Their key objectives include:

• Land: The EFF advocates for taking land without compensation to distribute it fairly and have the government manage all land in South Africa
• Jobs: They aim to create millions of quality jobs from 2024 to 2029 by strengthening state capabilities, promoting local industries, supporting black ownership, and boosting South African products
• Energy: The EFF plans to ensure stable electricity for the next two decades by repairing current power plants and investing in clean coal technology
• Education: They want to introduce free, inclusive education that includes indigenous knowledge and focuses on economic freedom
• Safety: The EFF seeks to collaborate with the police to enhance patriotism and protect the people of South Africa

To read their full manifesto, click here.

INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY (IFP)

The IFP is dedicated to serving the people of South Africa with a spirit of ubuntu/botho.

Their objectives include:

• Eliminating power cuts: They plan to achieve this by adopting a diversified energy system
• Job opportunities for South Africans: The IFP aims to prioritise South Africans for jobs and small business opportunities, enforcing an 80/20 employment ratio in all companies.
• Enhancing healthcare: They will prioritise the elderly and vulnerable children by increasing old age and child support grants, as well as expanding food voucher programs for needy households.
• Safety measures: This involves addressing the country's illegal migration crisis.
• Introducing free education and reforming NSFAS
• Implementing an Unemployed Graduate Grant: Graduates will receive R3000 for a set period to aid in their job search.

The IFP forms part of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

ACTIONSA

ActionSA was founded in August 2020 by former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba to reshape South Africa by offering a credible alternative to a failing political system.

Their key priorities for fixing South Africa include:

• Economic growth and job creation: ActionSA plans to boost economic infrastructure, support businesses, and foster job opportunities.
• Economic inclusion: They aim to achieve fairness by increasing the involvement of historically disadvantaged groups in the economy.
• Ending loadshedding: They commit to ending loadshedding by establishing a competitive energy market for affordable, reliable electricity.
• Quality education: ActionSA will improve the education system, prioritising foundational skills.
• Law and order: They intend to strengthen the criminal justice system and law enforcement to combat crime and corruption.
• Immigration reform: ActionSA aims to address the immigration crisis by streamlining policies for legal entry.
• Water security and environmental protection: They will expand water resources to ensure security and sustainability.
• Social support: ActionSA plans to provide quality healthcare and social services to vulnerable members of society.

ActionSA forms part of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

UMKHONTO WESIZWE (MK)

The MK Party is committed to reshaping South Africa into a land of opportunity for all. 

Their vision is outlined in the following manifesto:

• Grid expansion and stability: By extending the electrical grid across every corner of the nation, they strive to bolster its capacity, laying the foundation for our industrial growth from raw material processing to manufacturing.
• Job creation and economic flourishing: With a focus on key sectors like mining, agriculture, re-industrialisation, tourism, and infrastructure, their goal is to generate five million new jobs within five years, driving robust economic expansion.
• Market-driven skills development: Embracing a skills-centric approach that responds to market demands, the MK Party aims to align education with the evolving needs of our economy.
• Border security enhancement: To safeguard national interests and combat corruption, they pledge to fortify border security, ensuring adherence to South African laws over foreign influences.
• Accessible and healthcare: The MK Party is committed to establishing accessible, well-staffed, and well-equipped healthcare facilities, with provisions for alternative medicine options, prioritising the health and well-being of all citizens.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

GOOD

GOOD, a political party established in December 2018, envisions a South Africa characterised by fairness and equity, where everyone can partake in the nation's prosperity.

Their manifesto encompasses:

• Social justice: Implementing a R999 Basic Income Grant for all citizens, fostering safer and more fulfilling lives for the LGBTQIA+ community, and tackling gender-based violence and crime to nurture secure communities.
• Economic justice: Promoting inclusive economic growth, fostering job creation, and striving for income equality.
• Spatial justice: Addressing the enduring spatial inequalities inherited from apartheid through initiatives such as land reform, ensuring housing for all, and enhancing the accessibility and affordability of public transportation.
• Environmental justice: Taking decisive action to combat climate change and eliminate the scourge of loadshedding.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

RISE MZANSI

Rise Mzansi envisions a safe, prosperous, equal, and unified South Africa within a single generation. 
Their goal is to rally the people to actively participate as citizens in building the nation we all aspire to.

Their key areas of focus include:

• Leadership and governance: Rise Mzansi seeks to appoint competent and ethical leaders within government to establish a culture of excellence as the norm
• Safety and law enforcement: The party aims to enhance the professionalism and resources of the police force to better prevent and investigate crime
• Individual, family, and community well-being: Rise Mzansi is dedicated to eradicating hunger, ensuring access to affordable and nutritious food for impoverished South Africans, providing accessible and affordable basic services, and investing in education and rehabilitation facilities to address substance abuse within affected communities
• Climate crisis: Striking a balance between inclusive development and the imperative to transition to a low-carbon economy, Rise Mzansi aims to expedite this transition while supporting communities in mitigating the impacts of climate change, such as heatwaves, droughts, disruptions to food supply, and increased natural disasters

To read their full manifesto, click here.

AL JAMA-AH

Established in 2007 by its leader Ganief Hendricks, the Al Jama-ah Political Party advocates for a constructive Muslim contribution to post-apartheid South Africa's transformation, prioritising the well-being of all citizens over blame-shifting.

Their objectives include:

• Safeguarding the safety and security of all individuals across the nation
• Creating meaningful employment opportunities for everyone, including those with disabilities, to foster an integrated and inclusive society
• Promoting the development of secure communities and quality housing for families, both in urban and rural settings
• Addressing land issues through a fair and equitable process for all citizens
• Ensuring access to clean drinking water for all communities, including by utilising technologies like desalination in strategic locations
• Guaranteeing universal access to healthcare for every South African citizen and resident
• Closing the educational gap in schools by providing universal access to quality education

To read their full manifesto, click here.

PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE (PA)

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) emerged in 2013 as a response to the myriad challenges afflicting communities across South Africa.

This included the alarming gang violence prevalent on the Cape Flats, particularly in places like Manenberg, where innocent children were becoming casualties in the ongoing gang warfare.

While rooted in the heart of the coloured community and its struggles, the PA transcends racial boundaries, advocating for a brighter future for all of South Africa's children.

Their strategy for transformation:

• Putting God first: Recognising a loss of moral direction in South Africa, the PA aims to reintroduce religious education in schools, placing God at the forefront of community values
• Crackdown on illegal immigration: With a firm stance against unlawful immigration, the PA pledges to enact rigorous deportation measures, tighten immigration policies, and construct a protective barrier to safeguard citizens
• Youth development through service: Introducing compulsory military or public service for unemployed youth to instil discipline and impart valuable skills
• Reinstatement of the death penalty: Advocating for the return of capital punishment to alleviate the pervasive sense of fear among South Africans
• Empowerment of local and traditional leaders
• Promotion of beneficiation: Supporting industrialisation and value addition to natural resources to generate employment opportunities and stimulate economic prosperity

To read their full manifesto, click here.

AFRICAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (ACDP)

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) is a conservative Christian political group in South Africa that started in 1993. They follow Biblical teachings. 

Their goals are:

• Job creation and fighting poverty: They want to build roads and schools to help create jobs and improve education. They also want to train people for modern jobs
• Improving infrastructure and transportation: They aim to fix power stations and trains by hiring skilled people. They also want to repair railways to reduce traffic on roads. They plan to involve more private companies in train services
• Fighting crime: ACDP aims to set up a new anti-corruption agency to stop corruption. They also want to change bail rules for serious crimes such as murder and robbery
• Protecting property and food supply: They want to protect people's land rights and make sure they get fair compensation if their land is taken. They also want to support farmers to grow more food
• Providing housing: The party aims to use unused government land for homes and farms. They also want to help build affordable homes for people in need
• Improving water and sanitation: Eradicate informal settlements by prioritising permanent solutions over temporary ones, and replace communal toilets with bulk water and sanitation infrastructure, as well as ensure that all schools have flushing toilets to replace pit-toilets

The ACDP forms part of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa.

To read their full manifesto, click here.

FREEDOM FRONT PLUS

The Freedom Front Plus, established in 1994, is a centre-right political party.

 
It advocates for the rights of South Africa's Afrikaans-speaking communities.

The party is dedicated to safeguarding, promoting, and advancing the rights and interests of these communities, while also supporting the self-determination of any other group united by a common language and cultural heritage within South Africa.

Their key objectives include:

• Creating a new order that celebrates diversity and fosters the autonomy of communities
• Combatting corruption to address the government's financial woes, deteriorating infrastructure, and deficient service delivery
• Ensuring a stable and dependable electricity supply
• Advocating for high-quality, community-based education in mother tongues
• Pursuing genuine empowerment initiatives devoid of race-based Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment
• Reinforcing law enforcement, with a focus on citizen safety, security, and robust border management

The FF Plus forms part of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa

To read their full manifesto, click here.

For the complete list of parties, click here.