President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday that the key to fighting poverty and creating jobs was the participation of all South Africans in the process.
Launching the election manifesto of the African National Congress (ANC) at Durban City Hall on Saturday night, Mbeki said the document was about attending to the unskilled workers.
”Our people are proud. As poor as they are they want an opportunity to work. This is what this manifesto is about -‒ the people’s contract to fight poverty and create work,” he said.
Mbeki said the government could implement programmes on its own but the support and involvement of all people was needed for inroads to be made in the battle against poverty.
He also said that the manifesto aimed to improve government service and end corruption.
”We have to ensure that we have a government that works. The government structure cannot be served by people who think the reason they are there is to fill their own pockets.”
He said the manifesto was about South Africans coming together to solve problems. ”We have to strengthen this national people’s movement so that we shouldn’t say that poverty is just an issue of the ANC election campaign.”
As expected Mbeki did not announce an election date during his address.
”I haven’t the slightest idea when the election date will be,” he said. – Sapa