Bad politicians are impeding SA’s prosperity, says Rise Mzansi’s Songezo Zibi

Poor governance by bad politicians and corrupt political parties are standing in the way of prosperity and economic justice in SA, said Songezo Zibi, leader of political start-up Rise Mzansi.

In his opening address at the party’s convention at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, Zibi called on the 800 delegates from across the country to pay particular focus on governance, saying it was  needed to grow the economy.

SA is dogged by persistent power cuts, low business confidence, high unemployment, violent crime, systemic corruption, entrenched poverty, and low economic growth.

The economy is also facing tight fiscal pressures with data released by National Treasury showing the budget deficit hit R143.8bn, the largest since 2004 and greater than economists’ forecasts of R115.5bn. 

“The years and years of corruption, of buying a roll of toilet paper for R100, or a laptop for R1m, have brought the economy to its knees,” said Zibi.

“That stolen money could have built roads and bridges, installed high-speed internet in communities, hired more police and paid them more. It could have brought better equipment for our army, hired younger soldiers and paid them fair salaries so they can protect our borders.”

The party’s convention themes focus on six pillars including family in all its forms; community; governance; economy; nation building; and climate change.

Rise Mzansi wants every family to have access to three full meals a day; rural households to have access to potable water; a decent and affordable housing solution; and access to mental healthcare facilities.

The governance theme includes electoral reform, candidate selection, immigration reform, fighting corruption, cabinet, civil service and security cluster reforms, green spaces and parks.

On the economy, urgent steps need to be taken to reduce the “worsening fiscal crisis”; reallocate funds for food security; basic needs support and early childhood development; and fighting organised financial crime. 

Zibi said as important as economic policy solutions are, “we must recognise that we cannot build an economy without a strong, ethical and capable government”.

“Unless we have a government that will take care of public money, implement rules of good governance and fight crime effectively, the economy will not grow. Jobs will not be created,” he said.

Zibi said the government was running out of money because even though it was borrowing hundreds of billions of rand reach year, “the money is wasted or stolen”. The country now pays nearly R30bn per month on interest on its loans, he said. “We pay more money servicing loans than we do on public health or higher education and training.”

Zibi detailed a litany of socioeconomic crises dogging the country, saying SA had regressed: “The question is: what is to be done?”

“We are here to craft new answers to that question. We are here because Rise Mzansi’s volunteers and supporters have decided that it is impossible to get better results while keeping the same, old, tired politicians and their political parties in place. They have no energy, no ideas and no credibility. We need new leaders, and we need new politics because we need new answers,” he said.

“The second thing we must do is to recognise that we have the power to decide what future we deserve. We also have the power to make it happen. Nowhere is it written that we must submit our dreams for approval to people who do not care about us. We must decide to be free in our own minds first. This weekend, we reclaim our political freedom.”

Rise Mzansi will contest the provincial and national elections in 2024, in which the governing ANC’s electoral support is expected to drop below 50%, according to several surveys, including one by the ANC itself.

Rise Mzansi’s national conference ends on Sunday where Zibi is expected to give the closing address.

mkentanel@businesslive.co.za