President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ANC will address the rising cost of living if the ANC is voted in as the governing party after the May 29 national general elections.
Ramaphosa was addressing thousands of party supporters on Saturday during the ANC’s manifesto launch at Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium.
The rising cost of living was among six priorities highlighted by Ramaphosa, that include a focus on job creation and driving industrial growth.
He said the ANC would take steps to make life more affordable for workers, the unemployed and the middle class by addressing key needs like food, housing, healthcare, energy and wages.
“We will prioritise food security, including VAT exemption on essential items, support for community and home gardens, and act against price fixing in all sectors.
“We will maintain and expand subsidised basic services like water, houses for the poor, and indigent policies at local level. We will continue to roll out roo -top solar to indigent households.”
Ramaphosa said the ANC’s plan was to strengthen health services and implement the NHI to make health care affordable for all.
“As required by law we will Increase the National Minimum Wage every year, and monitor implementation by employers.
“We will strengthen income support, through existing social grants, and utilise the Social Relief of Distress Grant as a mechanism towards phasing in the basic income support grant.”
“In the past week, we joined hands with our activists and volunteers on the ground here in KZN to work for a new mandate in the forthcoming elections so we can continue the work we began 30 years ago, when we put an end to the dark era of colonialism patriarchy and apartheid.
“We will continue to return to this province to convey the message that the ANC has solid support here, as it has all over the country,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that with the 2024 elections scheduled for May 29, the party would go beyond celebrating accomplishments and focus on the future.
“We will focus on six priorities which are critical to transform the economy and create jobs: our jobs plan; building our industries to include an inclusive economy; tackling the high cost of living; investing in people; defending democracy and advancing freedom; and building a better Africa and the world.”
The Mercury