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With the International Monetary Fund's latest economic growth forecast for South Africa at 0.9%, ActionSA is blaming the dismal outlook for 2024 on the African National Congress (ANC).

ActionSA said it was "concerned" about the "dire" state of the country's economy and blamed the low growth forecast on loadshedding, corruption and "dismal" ANC policies.

"From 2014-2023, economic growth averaged a meagre 0.76% a year, much weaker than our population growth rate of 1.15% during the same period. Simply put, under this government, South Africans are becoming poorer while water, electricity and jobs are growing scarcer," ActionSA said.

It also pointed out South Africa's "worsening" credit rating and the resultant high debt interest payments.

"Debt can be used to grow the economy and create jobs, however, the ANC squandered these funds on corruption, higher public sector wages and failing State-owned enterprises. Consequently, the unemployment rate rose from 25.1% in 2014 to a staggering 32.4% in 2023, with 8-million South Africans unable to find jobs. The ANC borrowed trillions of rands from future generations but failed to create jobs and grow the economy - lining their own pockets instead," ActionSA said.

It punted its own plan to boost economic growth if it comes into government, and promised to lower the debt burden, sustainably.

It said it would create a business-friendly competitive economy and attract international investment, while supporting public-private partnerships, entrepreneurship and small, medium-sized and microenterprises, and labour market reforms.

"During the first five years in government, ActionSA plans will boost economic growth to 5% and create 4.8-million jobs by 2029, ushering in an era of high, inclusive growth and economic prosperity in South Africa," the party promised.

Former boxing champion, now independent candidate, Lovemore Ndou said while he is concerned about coalitions government, if given the mandate to lead after the May elections, he would consider entering a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA), but only if it changes some of its policies and priorities.

Ndou was speaking exclusively with Polity on Thursday, when he said he does not believe that South Africa is ready for coalition government at national level. He said this was evident from coalitions in municipalities.

He noted that he is open to working with other independent candidates and unrepresented parties, however, he was adamant that he would never work with the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

He highlighted that the EFF leader Julius Malema is a "dangerous right-wing extremist."

"…Malema wants people to believe that his party will give them everything for free, he wants people to believe that he is going to give them land and I say that anyone that thinks and believes that Malema is going to give them land is misguided," he said.

Ndou believes that Malema will expropriate land and share it with his friends. He said Malema wants to control banks and mines, calling it a kleptocracy.

He alleged that the EFF has already destroyed municipalities such as Ekurhuleni, adding that the party will destroy the country if it were to lead.

"I have issues with [these] parties. I have issues with the way they have been behaving, with some of them what they stand for. [Meanwhile], the ANC is a failed party, that has nothing left to offer but blames all its failures on apartheid, and white capital monopoly," he said

He claimed that the ANC is a divided party.

He lashed at the country's former President Jacob Zuma, saying he was the most corrupt President and that President Cyril Ramaphosa is "useless".

He said Zuma once sold the country to the Gupta brothers, warning citizens to be cautious about the MK Party. He said this party is a faction of the failed ANC.

"…so you can expect nothing from it, more failure. The problems we are facing today, some of them were created by Zuma's administration," he said.

He said the DA was formed out of splits and mergers and it has been the official opposition party for a long time, however, he said while the DA is good at pointing out the ANC's wrong doings it cannot come with solutions, saying this concerns him.

"I also look at the DA as a party for the middle class and it does not understand that meaningful change begins at the grass roots," he said.

SKILLS AND TOOLS TO RUN SA

Ndou left South Africa for Australia in 1996 and said his return holds no ulterior motive other than to serve South Africa and save South Africans from the crisis created by the ANC.

He said he is sacrificing a lot to come back to South Africa and stand as an independent candidate but added that he was doing it because he is concerned with how the country is operating.

"Our country is on the brink of collapse and if nothing is done now eventually we are going to reach a point of no return and will most probably end up like neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe," he said.

He said Australia has equipped him with tools to run a better South Africa.

His focus will be on job creation and education.

He noted that South Africa needs a better education system, highlighting that the current system is not different from the Bantu education system. He said the education system continues to fail citizens.

The Multi-Party Charter of South Africa announced on Wednesday its plans to increase the Child Support Grant to the food poverty line and extend the grant to cover pregnant mothers to support child nutrition goals, if it comes into power.

The political parties that make up the Charter presented their plan to build a social relief framework, in which they also committed to an increase in the old age grant, funded by reducing the overall number of people on social grants through a growing economy that would see people into jobs and expand opportunities.

Through a joint press conference, leaders of the Charter parties shared their agreed approach and plans to tackle the biggest crises facing the country.

On Wednesday, the sixth such press conference detailed a Charter government's plan to build a social relief framework that protected the vulnerable and secured the socioeconomic development needed to break the cycle of poverty, inequality and hunger.

The parties also committed to devising and implementing a plan to reduce teenage and unwanted pregnancies.

The parties said they would identify social welfare beneficiaries by means-testing to ensure that interventions reach those genuinely in need, while also increasing the number of community-based primary health care and social workers to respond to the need for improved welfare services.

The Charter said this would ensure that every community had access to places of safety.

Prioritising the fight against gangsterism and drug abuse, increasing the number of rehabilitation facilities for substance abusers and ensuring that the community had access to the support of social workers, were also some of the plans the Charter had discussed.

The parties highlighted the need to revamp the social housing model to create more housing options near economic centres, while promoting low-cost rental options by initiating a pilot rental voucher system.

The Charter said that it would redistribute State-owned land, particularly in well-located urban areas, to provide housing for people experiencing poverty who would otherwise not be able to afford inner-city housing.

It also highlighted the need to fix the title deed transfer regime and to protect and extend property rights of ownership to as many citizens as possible.

It will ensure that State land is justly and more productively utilised, focusing on residential and agricultural needs, while also increasing access to property ownership and affordable housing.

The Charter will concentrate on repurposing underutilised State-owned land for housing. It will also actively pursue new, innovative housing models, building technologies, funding structures, and community participation initiatives to improve the quality, affordability and flexibility of housing options in South Africa.

The Charter highlighted that while the individual parties within the Charter were campaigning on their own merit, with distinct policies, brands and offerings, voters could confidently cast their vote knowing that these commitments had been agreed to by all the signatory parties to the Multi-Party Charter.

MORE INTERVENTIONS

Enforcing maintenance payments to ensure fathers take responsibility for their children and to assist single mothers.

Helping users get off drugs through treatment and harm reduction services (while tackling serious drug-related crime through harsh consequences for dealing and trafficking).

Developing a national framework on homelessness and improving links with NGOs to ensure adequate support for people experiencing homelessness, including assistance to reintegrate them into their families/communities.

Increase police visibility in vulnerable communities with high incidences of violent crime.

Improving education, security and healthcare to enhance social mobility and create equality of opportunity.

Broadening the range of zero-rated food items to tackle hunger and malnutrition effectively.

Ensuring that all qualifying households had access to the bask...

Amnesty International South Africa executive director Shenilla Mohamed said that 30 years after the end of apartheid, the right to life and dignity continues to be trampled on, with some lives deemed more valuable than others.

"No one is spared, from women and girls enduring high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), to courageous human rights defenders risking their lives to expose wrongdoing and corruption," she said.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International launched its yearly 'The State of the World's Human Rights' report, which assesses human rights in 155 countries.

Mohamed pointed out that three decades had passed since the end of the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa, marking a historic milestone in the fight for freedom and equality, however, the struggle for human rights and dignity persisted.

She said GBV remained rampant, with perpetrators often evading justice.

She highlighted that the report paints a sobering picture of the ongoing challenges faced by South Africans and added that despite the hard-fought victories against apartheid, millions still grappled with the denial of their fundamental human rights.

"The promise to eradicate pit latrines in schools remains unfulfilled, while literacy rates among Grade 4 pupils remains low. Concerns loom over the potential adverse effects of the National Health Insurance Bill on healthcare accessibility, which is already a problem in the country. Access to safe drinking water is declining and water infrastructure is crumbling with alarming effects," she said.

Mohamed noted that amidst these challenges, the murder rate persisted at staggering levels, and excessive use of force by police in response to protests continued.

"Human rights defenders, activists and journalists face threats and attempts to silence their voices, underscoring the persistent dangers confronting those who advocate for justice and accountability," she said.

Reflecting on South Africa's journey since the end of apartheid, it was a poignant reminder that the fight for freedom, dignity and human rights was far from over, Mohamed said.

"This year, as South Africa heads to the polls on 29 May, we have the opportunity to collectively shape the future of the country and vote for human rights; to demand a reality where justice and equality are protected, and the right to live free from violence and have access to safe, sufficient and reliable water is realised for every person, no matter who they are, or where they live," she said.

INTERNATIONAL LAW

Amnesty International's report presents a stark assessment of the "betrayal of human rights principles" by leaders and institutions.

In the face of multiplying conflicts, the actions of many powerful States had further damaged the credibility of multilateralism and undermined the global rules-based order first established in 1945, Mohamed pointed out.

She noted the conflict in Gaza which showed no sign of abating, as evidence that war crimes continued to mount.

The conflict has since forcibly displaced nearly 1.9-million Palestinians and is restricting the access of desperately needed humanitarian aid despite growing famine in Gaza.

The report also points to the US's "brazen use of its veto" to paralyse the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for months on a much-needed resolution for a ceasefire, as it continues to arm Israel with munitions that have been used to commit what Amnesty International says likely amount to war crimes.

"It also highlights the grotesque double standards of European countries such as the UK and Germany, given their well-founded opposition to war crimes by Russia and Hamas, while they simultaneously bolster the actions of Israeli and US authorities in this conflict," she added.

Mohamed said this showed that many powerful States were abandoning the founding values of humanity and universality enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

She highlighted that given the grim global state of play, urgent measures were requi...

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) has instructed its legal team to immediately lodge an urgent court application to stay the execution of the warrant of arrest for city manager Floyd Brink and says it will seek to prevent any further "abuse of the legal system" to harass City officials.

Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda said he was made aware on Wednesday morning of an attempt by the Sherriff of the Court to effect an arrest on Brink in relation to a matter that involves a business of the City and a disputed water utilities account.

The business won its case in court to have the City found in contempt after the City carried out a water disconnection despite a court ruling.

A Gauteng High Court in February ordered that Brink be imprisoned for 30 days, suspended for a year if the City was not found in contempt.

The business's director on Monday approached the court to have the warrant against Brink executed.

"However, the warrant of arrest was found to be defective and erroneous and as such could not legally be executed. Also of concern, was the attempt to execute the warrant at the Private Residence of the City Manager, undermining his rights and that of his minor children and family," said Gwamanda.

He said "suspicious leaks to the media" and subsequent articles have also been used to further this narrative and warned that the City took a "cautious and dim view of this abuse and ill-intent".

He said as the matter concerned Brink in his official capacity and responsibilities, legal action should have been undertaken at CoJ's address and not at Brink's private residence.

"The City Manager has been the target of incessant harassment by certain political actors utilising the courts to compromise and prevent him from exercising his duties. This attack on his person and character has now been orchestrated to embarrass and target him and his family and to create a public perception that the City Manager is a suspect in a criminal matter," said Gwamanda.

He added that the City aims to resolve any rates and utility account disputes in an amicable, transparent and cooperative manner with the affected clients to avoid unnecessary and protracted litigation.

Gwamanda urged residents to always utilise the available dispute resolution mechanisms in dealing with billing queries and complaints.

The City of Tshwane confirmed on Tuesday the passing of former mayor Murunwa Makwarela.

Tshwane Speaker of Council Mncedi Ndzwanana said Makwarela lost his life on Tuesday morning.

Makwarela served as executive mayor during a tumultuous period in the City's politics in March 2023. Prior to his election as mayor, he served as the speaker.

"It is a very sad day for us because we have lost the important person, the former speaker, former mayor and councillor of Tshwane which is Dr Murunwa Makwarela," he said.

Ndzwanana passed on his condolences to Makwarela's family and Tshwane residents.

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink also expressed sadness at the passing of Makwarela.

"Whatever the differences we might have had, and the controversy of his tenure, I am saddened by his passing. I pray that God will comfort his family, and bring them peace," he said.

City of Johannesburg Council Speaker Margaret Arnolds also passed on condolences to Makwarela's family, the Tshwane Council and Tshwane residents.

"The political landscape mourns with you and celebrates the extraordinary life of this remarkable man who devoted his life to service. His loss will be particularly felt by his comrades, for whom he worked so hard," said Arnolds.

She stated that the memory of Makwarela's leadership will remain a source of inspiration and encouragement to all his friends, colleagues and fellow councillors.

Makwarela appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court last week, in an insolvency matter, where he failed to have his fraud case struck from the court roll.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) has urged the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to seriously consider a reduction in interest rates to alleviate the financial pressure on citizens.

The PSA's appeal is based on recent observations by economists, highlighting the financial burden on South Africans, particularly public servants, owing to what it calls the South African Reserve Bank's "unnecessary" interest-rate hikes.

The PSA said public servants should not be unduly burdened by excessive financial costs, especially when such measures were avoidable, and pointed out that they played a crucial role in the functioning of society.

The PSA said it believed that high interest rates were unjustifiable and detrimental to the financial wellbeing of citizens.

It pointed out that South Africans were facing multiple financial challenges, exacerbated by the economic strain of the Covid-19 pandemic, and said the recent interest-rate hikes had resulted in an inequitable financial situation.

"Lowering interest rates will assist in stabilising the financial security of workers and contribute significantly to the overall economic recovery of South Africa," the PSA said.

It further argued that a reduction in interest rates would provide immediate financial relief to workers and other South Africans, while lessening the burden of high debt-servicing costs including making mortgages more affordable.

"With the current inflation outlook well within the target range, there is ample room for the MPC to consider a reduction in interest rates without risking inflationary pressures," it said.

The PSA explained that economic recovery would be supported as lowering interest rates would encourage spending and investment, which would stimulate economic growth and aid the country's recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It added that lower interest rates would also lead to increased business activity, which it said would promote job creation and stability.

With the crucial May elections looming, video hosting service TikTok has entered into partnerships with the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and civil society organisations, to prevent misinformation and provide users with reliable information to ensure a well-informed electorate.

TikTok announced an in-app Election Centre, no paid political ads and investment in media literacy as its broader strategy to maintain a creative, secure and respectful environment during the electoral period.

TikTok public policy and government relations director Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda said that the in-app Election Centre represented a pivotal step towards safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

The in-app centre will be available in local languages such as isiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana and English, and users will gain access to a wealth of authoritative information from reliable sources about the South African elections.

"In order to maximise the visibility and accessibility of our in-app centre, we have implemented labels on content associated with the 2024 general elections. These labels also serve as direct links to the centre, enabling viewers to access comprehensive information about the elections with a simple click," he said.

He added that TikTok would facilitate access to popular election hashtags, ensuring that users searching for related content could effortlessly find and engage with relevant information.

"Protecting the integrity of our platform, particularly around elections, is a responsibility we take seriously. We're proud to be a place that brings people together, and we work hard to keep harmful misinformation off our platform," he highlighted.

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo has welcomed the steps TikTok has taken to create a page for useful authenticated educational information about the upcoming elections.

Mamabolo noted that factual information and positive information were key to defending citizens from disinformation, misinformation and malformation.

He applauded TikTok for its efforts in educating users and combating the potential spread of harmful misinformation.

"The burgeoning use of digital media in recent years has seen a corresponding surge in digital disinformation, particularly on social media platforms. Electoral processes have not been spared. Left unchecked, this phenomenon stands to undermine the conduct of credible elections," he said.

Meanwhile, TikTok also has a long-standing policy of not allowing paid political advertising, and accounts belonging to politicians or political parties are not able to advertise or make money on TikTok.

To further strengthen its mission, TikTok has joined forces with fact-checking organisation Africa Check on a media literacy campaign in the lead-up to and during the South African elections.

Notably, this collaboration introduces a groundbreaking first for the platform - the inclusion of sign language.

South Africa is playing all sides when it comes to foreign policy as the country seeks to position itself as a leading voice of the Global South, and the approach seems to be working - so far.

The Brics group of developing nations held its annual summit in South Africa last year and the Group of 20 is set to follow suit in 2025, highlighting Pretoria's growing international sway. President Cyril Ramaphosa's efforts to secure vaccines for Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic, help broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine and bring a genocide case against Israel at the International Criminal Court over its Gaza campaign have further enhanced its profile, despite the mixed results.

South Africa, which is confronting a plethora of domestic problems, has long maintained that it adopts a non-aligned position when it comes to international relations. But its increasingly close ties with China, refusal to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and anti-Israel stance have raised concern in the US and European Union.

There haven't yet been repercussions, in part because South Africa remains a key export destination and source of minerals. The USSR and Palestinian groups took a far more proactive stance against apartheid than most Western governments, which partially explains Pretoria's allegiances.

US legislators this month dropped a call for an immediate review of South Africa's preferential access to US markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act when they tabled a revamped bipartisan bill in the Senate that proposes extending the trade pact until 2041. Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho, had criticized South Africa's eligibility, saying its actions subverted US national security and foreign-policy interests.

The US maintains a strong and multifaceted relationship with South Africa that is based on shared values and interests, and is committed to working together to promote global peace, security and bilateral trade among other priorities, a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed response to questions.

"South Africa is a sovereign country that can make its own decisions about how to engage with Russia and the People's Republic of China," the spokesperson said. "We're focused on making our relationship even stronger, to the benefit of Americans and South Africans, and we aren't distracted by what others are doing. We recognise the deeply held view by South Africa on the status of Palestinians. We share concerns about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and are actively leading efforts to address it."

The EU this month reemphasised its close links with South Africa, the only nation on the continent with which it has a so-called strategic partnership, and said the two plan to hold a bilateral summit.

"South Africa is risking the ire of the West, but it's a calculated risk," said Daniel Silke, the director of Cape Town-based Political Futures Consultancy. "There is a push by the Global South and Brics to increase its global assertiveness and South Africa has played a leading role. That gives her a degree of clout and a degree of strength, and makes her less likely to feel as though she needs to be ultra-careful when it comes to dealing with the West."

With elections due to take place in South Africa on May 29, the government has sought to portray its enhanced international role and independent positioning as major accomplishments - although foreign policy has historically played little role in swaying voters.

Instead, the ruling African National Congress faces a backlash over its failure to tackle rolling blackouts and rampant poverty and unemployment. The party of Nelson Mandela risks losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since it took power three decades ago.

South Africa isn't completely in the clear with the US. Its access to Agoa could still be revoked if it's found to have violated the qualifying criteria, including respecting human rights and democracy. Two-way trade between the two nations amo...

President Cyril Ramaphosa noted on Monday that South Sudan is now at a crucial point in its journey towards consolidating democracy, saying political parties are hard at work, and ensuring that the necessary preconditions are in place for elections that are free, fair and credible.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that despite the "ravages of a bitter war", South Sudan was "remarkably" able to emerge and join the community of nations.

He said 30 years since South Africa attained its own freedom, government was proud of the country's ongoing support for the efforts of fellow African countries to emerge from conflict to rebuild and consolidate democracy.

Elections in South Sudan are scheduled to be held in December, before the Revitalised Agreement expires in February 2025.

Last week Ramaphosa was on a working visit to South Sudan, where he received an update from his South Sudanese counterpart President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which was signed in September 2018.

Ramaphosa said he was glad to see the progress that had been made in the run-up to the elections, including the establishment of a national elections commission and the registration of political parties.

"What is pleasing is that the South Sudanese are working together to address the outstanding issues on the agreed Roadmap as the country advances towards elections," he said.

Ramaphosa highlighted that this proved that the adage "African solutions for African problems" was truly at work in South Sudan.

He said people needed to encourage and support the process.

He explained that when the internal conflict broke out, South Africa was among the countries that joined the peace effort, noting that the signing in 2018 of the R-ARCSS became a beacon of hope.

"It is admirable that the permanent ceasefire continues to hold and that the parties to the agreement have honoured their commitment to end armed conflict and engender national security by seeking to form a united national defence force through the cantonment and training of former combatants," he said.

He said the political and legal framework being implemented outlined the aspirations of the people of South Sudan to bring a permanent end to armed conflict, consolidate democracy and determine their collective destiny.

Included in the agreement were commitments to adopt a permanent constitution and create unified security services, he added.

Ramaphosa said South Africa had provided development, mediation and other forms of assistance to South Sudan since 2005.

"We have been consistent in our support for the current Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity and the people of South Sudan as they navigate the transition period. We continue to provide support at a bilateral level and as the chairperson of the African Union High-Level Ad hoc Committee on South Sudan, also known as the C5. This committee consists of South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda," he said.

He noted that South Africa helped South Sudan with capacity building for State institutions and programmes for post-conflict reconstruction.

"As Africa and as the international community, we owe it to a people who have suffered so much and for so long, to support South Sudan's journey towards becoming a fully-fledged democracy. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that South Sudan is ultimately able to reap the dividends of peace and security, including economic prosperity," said Ramaphosa.

He noted that prior to independence, the south of Sudan had been deliberately marginalised, leaving it one of the world's least developed places, with high levels of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and poor health outcomes.

He said that South Sudan needed investment, particularly in social and economic infrastructure. He explained that a number of South African companies had demonstrated their confidence in Sout...