New National Party leaders and delegates from across the country turned out in force at the NNP’s national election manifesto launch in Stellenbosch on Friday.
The launch, at a packed Paul Roos Gymnasium school hall, followed the party’s federal council meeting earlier in the day, where incumbent leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk was unanimously re-elected to the post for another five-year term.
Van Schalkwyk outlined key issues in the manifesto, which is entitled You Deserve a Fair Share, saying his party’s plans are realistic and implementable.
”Under the NNP’s economic plan we will create one million permanent new jobs by 2008, achieve national economic growth of 4% within three years, and ensure three times the number of opportunities for adult basic education, further training and entrepreneurship,” he said.
On crime, Van Schalkwyk said by implementing the party’s ”no mercy policy”, violent crime could be cut by 50% within five years.
He said 175 000 police officers should be deployed on the streets by 2006, with bail conditions and sentencing needing to be toughened.
”We are also proposing a fund to empower the victims of crime … and a return to the death penalty for criminals guilty of murder and rape with aggravating circumstances.”
He also touched on education, saying the student-teacher ratio would be bettered, with an additional 27 000 educators to be employed so that pass rates could be improved in key subjects such as mathematics, science and technology.
”The core of the manifesto is simple — that you deserve your fair share of South Africa’s future and that the NNP is the party best positioned to ensure that you get it.”
Van Schalkwyk also fired a broadside at his former political partners, the Democratic Alliance, saying the NNP had underestimated the ”levels of cynicism” in the DA leadership.
”The [former] Democratic Party saw the DA as a vehicle not for change, but for the protection of privilege,” he said.
These sentiments had led directly to the break-up of the alliance with the NNP.
Alluding to Parliament, he said British Westminster opposition-style politics are not appropriate for complicated societies like South Africa.
On cooperation with the African National Congress, Van Schalkwyk said the NNP will continue to talk with it because it is the only way it can reconcile the interests of different constituencies and communities. — Sapa