Build One South Africa (Bosa) supporters say they are going to vote for the party because it has promised to create more jobs, including for those over the age of 35.
Speaking at Bosa’s “Jikizinto” Rally at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Saturday, Gugu Shilenga – from Daveyton in Ekurhuleni – said she was there to support party leader Mmusi Maimane, whom she believed would bring about change.
“As youth, we are sitting at home because we are unemployed. There are a number of graduates who are not working. Maimane says his party will bring jobs to every home. In a household, at least one person must have a job. Another thing that intrigued me is that Maimane is serious about ending corruption,” said Shilenga.
Another attendee, Eunice Motaung from Dobsonville in Soweto, said she trusted Maimane.
“I came to this rally because I am going to vote for Bosa because it is a good political party that does not have scandals, thieves or corruption. I am tired of the ANC; it irritates me.
“One of the reasons I left the ANC is because I registered for an RDP house in 1996 and have not received it. The cabinet of President Cyril Ramaphosa is nonsense; they have failed us as citizens,” said Motaung.
A number of people have reportedly threatened to boycott the elections because they have not received the service they were promised. South Africans go to the polls on Wednesday.
Maimane urged people to go and vote, and said his party would ensure there was a job for every home.
Speaking at the event, he said the coming election was the country’s most important to date.
“Those of you who were thinking of staying home need to come out and vote. Vote for Bosa because these elections are about moving from the old to the new, about building one South Africa. It's about ensuring there's a job in every home; it's about electing leaders who honour ethics and never steal anyone’s money; it's about making sure we educate every child so that they can graduate,” said Maimane.
Asked how the party was planning to create jobs, Maimane said they had tabled a 10-point plan, which included that the lights be kept on, the streets made safe, there was proper infrastructure, people were included in the digital economy, Transnet was fixed so that goods could move in and out the country, and passenger train services restored.
He said if corruption was eradicated, “you can spend R220 billion in the Township Economy. You can make sure SMMEs thrive. You can give young people one-year programmes where they can develop services, and more than anything, you can make sure that South Africa prospers”.
Maimane also said Bosa wanted to get rid of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill.
Among other things contained in the bill, were that girls aged 12 were permitted to have abortions without the consent of their parents.
“The BELA Bill ultimately does not support education in communities. It takes power away from citizens, and we have got to make sure that governing bodies... move from state to public expression, where governments are able to be held accountable,” said Maimane.
The Star