AZAPO manifesto summary

Housing and title deeds

• Set up a State Housing Company to provide medium and low-cost housing for purchase and renting, ensuring high building standards. p.21
• Provide land for free to those who can afford to build houses for themselves. p.21
• Encourage housing co-operatives to build decent houses for rent, allowing renters to buy once they can afford it. p.21
• Ensure those unable to fend for themselves receive houses funded by a social development fund. p.21
• Build houses on sufficiently large plots of land to allow for future extensions. p.21

Water and sanitation

• Ensure every school has clean water and sanitation. p.22
• Provide water for free to poor households. p.22
• Reverse the privatisation of water provision and do away with prepaid water meters. p.22
• Invest in technologies for the reuse of water. p.22
• Invest in water and irrigation infrastructure. p.23

Electricity and energy

• Ensure better coordination for energy production capacity in line with the planned economic trajectory. p.19
• Drive energy efficiency programmes to reduce electricity demand and alleviate power grid constraints. p.19
• Increase free basic electricity for the poor to 100 kWh. p.19
• Invest in developing a local industry for green energy materials like solar panels and wind turbines. p.19
• Accelerate the electrification program for households without access to electricity. p.19

Roads and public transport

• Invest in building and improving road and rail infrastructure to enhance transport systems. p.20
• Activate unused railways and buy more trains to promote rail transport for long distances. p.20
• Subsidise public transport and the taxi industry to make fares affordable for commuters. p.20
• Ensure quality and affordable service in road and passenger transport through legislation. p.20
• Introduce municipal public transport in rural areas to lower transportation costs for residents. p.22

Waste and refuse collection

Not addressed in this manifesto.

Safety and policing

• Implement multi-level interventions to improve policing, including competitive salaries and better training for police officers. p.12
• Increase the number and distribution of Community Courts to speed up court case conclusions and reduce backlog. p.12
• Encourage cooperation between police, municipal services, and communities to prevent crime and support community initiatives. p.12
• Demilitarise the police and retrain them to improve trust and cooperation with communities. p.14
• Guarantee the independence of the judiciary and review cases involving powerful individuals. p.14

Jobs and the local economy

• Fix the education system to prepare children for the 21st-century economy and support skills development for modern jobs. p.7
• Invest in road and rail infrastructure to enhance transport efficiency, contributing to economic growth and job creation. p.20
• Target the development and sustainability of SMMEs by reducing red tape, improving access to finance, and providing tax incentives. p.26
• Revive the labour-intensive manufacturing sector through State-led programmes that promote investment and training. p.26p.27
• Prioritise infrastructure development and entrepreneurship, especially among youth, to support long-term economic growth. p.26

Rates, tariffs and municipal finance

• Enforce tougher control and accountability measures to eliminate waste and inefficiency in public financial resources. p.27
• Encourage banks to reduce the debt burden on poor and working-class households. p.27
• Promote the need for increased savings among households. p.27
• Set up a National Bank to provide general banking services with a positive social impact. p.27
• Review the South African Reserve Bank's mandate to align with long-term policies on poverty, unemployment, and growth. p.27

Corruption, governance and accountability

• Introduce a restorative merit system for civil service appointments to eliminate nepotism and patronage. p.7p.12
• Empower citizens by allowing direct election of the President and Mayors, and enabling recall of corrupt politicians. p.7
• Ensure strong supervision of State institutions and protect the roles of the Public Protector and Auditor General. p.13
• Commit to exposing and rooting out corruption, and facilitating community participation in decision-making. p.9
• Remove political influence from Tender Committees and open them to public scrutiny. p.13

Informal settlements and land

• Target and customise policy solutions for underserved areas such as townships, informal settlements and rural areas. p.27

Support for indigent households

• Increase free basic electricity for the poor to 100 kWh. p.19
• Lower the cost of electricity for the indigent through a common indigent tariff for all energy sellers. p.19
• Ensure that those unable to fend for themselves receive houses funded by a social development fund. p.21
• Provide water for free to poor households. p.22

By-law and municipal law enforcement

Not addressed in this manifesto.

Youth, sport, arts and libraries

• Ensure all schools are provided with libraries, sporting facilities, and recreational facilities. p.15
• Support the pursuit of cultural activities for self-expression and as a means of making a living. p.35
• Encourage sports participation for both livelihood and enjoyment. p.35
• Work with sporting bodies to strengthen their organisational capacity and effectiveness. p.35
• Encourage the development of world-class South African athletes in various sports. p.35