The DA believes in lean, clean government that efficiently and effectively creates the fertile conditions in which entrepreneurship thrives and in which investors are confident to invest.
Our approach can be summarized in five key focus areas, which will be discussed in more detail in the coming weeks.
- Create an enabling infrastructural environment
The DA would invest heavily in the provision and maintenance of world-class water, energy, transport and communication infrastructure. These are essential prerequisites for job-creating economic growth on the scale we have in mind. We urgently need to dismantle the disastrous Eskom monopoly and open the grid to a more balanced mix of power suppliers. And we need to reject the unaffordable and unnecessary nuclear deal.
- Give people the education and skills they need to become independent
The DA would also invest both heavily and consistently in education infrastructure and provision in order to equip people with the skills and abilities necessary to participate in the economy. Universal access to top quality schooling is well overdue and entirely within South Africa’s means to deliver. So too is a top quality post-school education and training system.
- Strongly support entrepreneurs
Only the small, medium and micro enterprises sector (SMME sector) can create jobs on the scale necessary to provide opportunities for all who want to participate in our economy.
SA is positively bursting with small business potential, which the DA would unleash through more flexible labour policies, minimising red tape, a more business-friendly regulatory environment, and greater access to capital, tender opportunities and small business support.
It must be attractive and easy for people to start and run their own small businesses.
- Create an enabling legislative environment
Our current labour regime is not only hostile to investment, but simply unfair to the 8.3 million jobless South Africans in that it locks them out of the job market.
South Africa has had a rigid labour regime for over two decades now and it has failed dismally to serve the greater good. Instead it has delivered us one of the highest unemployment rates in the world and all the misery that comes with that.
It is time to press the reset button on this one and introduce a new set of policies – policies which create more opportunities for job-seekers by making it easier for businesses to hire; policies which promote excellence and competition and which give inexperienced new entrants the opportunity to prove their willingness to work and learn.
- Incentivise job creation
The DA would implement job-creating policies, such as tax incentives for job-creating investments, a youth wage subsidy, apprenticeship wages, and the establishment of special economic zones.
Real change comes about when we act on our hopes and dreams.
If you are with the DA in dreaming of an inclusive South African economy which creates job opportunities for all and fights poverty, then I urge you to give us your vote in the local government elections this year.
Give us the chance to show how good, clean government can deliver at a local level and help us to build the momentum needed to bring our job-creating, poverty-fighting policies to South Africa in 2019.
Tags: change for jobs
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