"THE ANC is like an old car! The more services it misses, the more its functions become problematic and costly to restore."
This is how ActionSA Chairman Michael Beaumont described the governing party on Tuesday, 7 May, when he presented his party’s blueprint to rejuvenate Mzansi’s infrastructure in Dunkeld, Joburg.
Beaumont said: “The collapse of South Africa’s infrastructure under the ANC, particularly over the past 20 years, has been systemic. It's been across all infrastructure categories.
“The most appropriate metaphor is that of a new car. In the early days, it drives beautifully and without incident. With each service missed, the car functions increasingly problematically, and the cost to restore its mechanical condition increases.”
He claimed that the water crisis, load shedding, sewage that flows through the streets and broken roads have become the greatest issues impacting the daily reality of many South Africans.
“South Africa’s water infrastructure threatens our national security with the Lesotho Highlands phase project said to be running over 10 years behind schedule. Our national water supply remains in jeopardy."
Beaumont pointed out that the main water distribution networks have not been replaced with larger bore pipes to address the rising demands of a larger population.
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Beaumont said a ActionSA government would implement a zero-based budgeting approach and redirect all budgets from the wastages of international travel, conferencing, consultants, subscriptions and catering.
"The party would amend legislation to facilitate Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) that leverage the balance sheets of the private sector through long-term investments."
He said ActionSA would amend the Protection of Investment Act of 2015 to reduce bureaucratic barriers and limitations to foreign direct investment.
Another issue the party wants to change is the procurement system by making the process transparent and protecting infrastructure and declaring strategic water, rail, power and road infrastructure as national key points.
Beaumont added that ActionSA would also establish a specialised Infrastructure Protection Unit under the command of the SAPS and supported by deployments of the SANDF to gather intelligence, protect infrastructure and investigate infrastructure theft or damage.
“The silence of political parties in this election campaign on infrastructure is beyond comprehension when one considers its impact on our economy and the lived reality of basic services in communities across South Africa,” he said.
