S. African President unveils manifesto for 2004 elections

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 11, 2004

S. African President unveils manifesto for 2004 elections

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South African President Thabo Mbeki unveiled Saturday evening his ruling party's manifesto for the 2004 presidential elections by declaringto "radically reduce the levels of unemployment and poverty."

Addressing more than 700 high-ranking officials from the African National Congress (ANC) and the government in Ethekwini City Hall in the coastal city of Durban, Mbeki promised to "reduce unemployment by half through new jobs, skill development, assistance to small business, opportunities for self-employment and sustainable community livelihoods."

The 62-year-old president, who was nominated by the ANC as candidate for the presidential elections in April, pledged to "reduce poverty by half through economic development, comprehensive social security, land reform and improved household and community assets,"

Political observers here noted that unemployment and poverty still remain two biggest problems for the black government, which came into power in 1994 through hard struggle against centuries ofcolonialism and apartheid.

Jeff Radebe, minister of public enterprises, head of ANC policyand chairperson of the ANC Manifesto Drafting Committee, declined to tell the numbers of unemployment and poverty-stricken people.

However, a recent National Productivity Institute report shows that the number of South Africans living in poverty is estimated at anywhere between 45 percent and 55 percent or about 20 million to 28 million people and is not confined to any one race group.

With a total population of 45 million, South Africa is one of countries which have the highest unemployment rate in the world, namely 40 percent of the total population.

Political analysts believe that the fight against poverty, creation of an equitable economy, employment and the speedy reduction of dependency on social welfare will be the issues forming part of the ANC's election campaign strategy.

While assuring his fellow citizens in his manifesto, Mbeki said,"We will intensify our economic base, we must ensure that the country's wealth, business opportunities, skill training and other opportunities are more equitably shared by all our people, irrespective of race, gender, disability and age difference."

"We must radically reduce the levels of unemployment and poverty by combining the resources of the public and private sectors and build an economy that benefits all," he added.

He promised to create one million job opportunities through the expanded public works program and complete the land restitution program and speed up land reform, with 30 percent of agricultural land redistributed by 2014, combined with comprehensive assistanceto emergent farmers.

The president also lost no chance to show the achievement his black government made in the past decade by saying: "Today, South Africa has a growing economy, managed with skill by the ANC government. We have economic links with almost all countries across the globe, and there are no apartheid restrictions on professions, the right to do business or the right to education and skills."

"Before 1994, economic growth had ground to a halt. Since then,our economy has grown by 2.8 percent a year. It has become more competitive, with increasing volume, diversity and destinations ofexports, and it has created two million net new jobs between 1996 and 2003," he said.

As to the problem of crime and corruption, he did not admit thefact that the crime and corruption are getting worse but spoke of more and more success in dealing with crime and corruption.

"Since 1994 the rate of murder has been reduced by 30 percent, vehicle hijacking by 33 percent, and since 1996 bank-related robbery has been reduced by 52 percent. With the improvement in visible policing, it is becoming clearer to criminals and their syndicates that there is no place to hide," he said.

However, he promised to further efforts in fighting crime and corruption to "deploy more than 150,000 police in active duty, with more visible policing, better training, better management as well as community liaison at police station level."

Speaking about HIV/AIDS and other diseases, the president said hundreds of clinics have been constructed closer to where people live, providing primary health care.

Assuring his fellow citizens, he said, "We must build a healthier nation with programs to defeat malnutrition, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases and turn the tide againstHIV/AIDS, which threaten the lives of five million South Africans."

Mbeki is the incumbent president of South Africa, replacing Nelson Mandela who became the first black president in the country's first democratic elections in April 1994.

Mbeki, born in 1942 in Transkei, South Africa, joined the ANC Youth League in 1956 and left South Africa in 1962 on instructionsof the ANC to carry out revolutionary activities abroad.

Under the Constitution, the National Assembly elects president,who is both the head of state and the head of government. The president has power to appoint ministers and exercises executive power in consultation with the other members of the cabinet.

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