Johannesburg -
The DA has finalised its core policy documents, which aim to combat corruption and create jobs, ahead of the upcoming national elections, the party said on Friday.
“Taken together, our policies represent our plan to improve the lives of all the people of South Africa by creating jobs and cutting corruption,” Democratic Alliance federal chairman Wilmot James said in a statement.
The policies had now been finalised after being formally adopted at the DA's policy conference in November, after a year-long research and consultation process.
The policies regarding corruption included a blacklist, to be established by an independent body, of public servants dismissed for misconduct related to corruption. The DA wanted such individuals to never be re-employed by the state.
According to its governance policy, the DA would also introduce legislation prohibiting government employees and their families from holding more than five percent of shares, stock, membership, or other interests in an entity that had business dealings with government.
On job creation, the party advocated provisionally halving both employers' and employees' Unemployment Insurance Fund contributions to reduce the cost of hiring workers. This was also seen as a means to stimulate the economy through increasing the net wages of workers and increasing their spending power.
The party also wanted to relax some labour regulations with a view to providing protection for workers while limiting the costs of compliance.
“Our labour policy seeks to balance the protection of the rights of workers with the need for a more flexible labour regime to make it easier for businesses to create jobs,” James said.
If this balance was not achieved, labour policy would protect the employed at the expense of the unemployed.
The DA policy on labour also encouraged temporary employment as a means to help people into the formal job market, but would retain current legislation under which temporary workers were deemed permanent staff after more than two years.
The party's labour policy also sought to tackle labour unrest through the introduction of secret ballots for unionised workers, so that members would have to approve a strike before their union could embark on strike action.
James said the 2014 election would be a “compelling moment” for South Africans.
“Voters will have the opportunity to consider the progress made during two decades of democracy in South Africa and decide on the party that they believe can deliver a better future.” - Sapa