PAC looking at key needs of poor in election manifesto

THE PAC launched the party’s election manifesto in the Eastern Cape at the weekend.

The launch, held in Berlin and attended by party leader Letlapa Mphahlele, focused on a number of issues including education, labour and rural development. Mphahlele said the party favoured a people-centred government system where the key needs of poor people would be catered for instead of the current system which enriched individuals with cadre deployments. Addressing hundreds of supporters, Mphahlele said jobs needed to be created for the poor and that rural development, health and education were key. Mphahlele said to be trusted by voters, a track record was needed for any political party. “Our people were in the forefront fighting for this country while other parties were nowhere. “That proves that the PAC has a track record that shows we fought for this country and we are still fighting for what will benefit the poor people of this country, not enriching ourselves with tenders,” Mphahlele said. “Cadre deployment is also a problem, where people get top jobs they know nothing about.” He said if the PAC was voted into power, he would want to have an economy that created jobs for poor people. “Industrialisation is very important. We will create many jobs for the people. “Also, labour brokers will be removed altogether. There is no way that we can have a middleman who gets your salary and gives you little money while you did the work. This country won’t grow with labour brokers.” He also touched on the health system, saying it was collapsing. “One of our first things will be to look at the public health system that is failing. We will employ more staff to take care of the millions of people who frequent these hospitals every day. Hospitals are understaffed, something that leaves many patients spending days without being attended to.” He also criticised the education system, saying it was failing pupils. PAC veteran Mava Geza said the government’s policies being used today were PAC policies. “What is being done today, these people are using our policies but not in the right way,” said Geza. “We know them better. “Give us this chance and you will see the change.”

- Bongani Fuzile