The Moonshot Pact of political parties who have gathered to map a collective way forward ahead of next year’s general election say it is not an anti-African National Congress club, but a gathering of parties focused on saving South Africa.
Seven political parties, including the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, Spectrum National Party, United Independent Movement and Independent South African National Organisation (Isanco), have started their two-day National Convention at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said the convention was about South Africa and its people as they still believed there was hope for the country.
“This Convention is about South Africa and its people. This is not an anti-ruling party club. Our reason for convening here is much more important. We do not hate the ANC, but we hate what they have done to South Africa,” Hlabisa said.
The party leaders addressed the media shortly before entering their plenary meetings.
They echoed the point that their meeting was to effect change.
“If we want things in our country to change, we cannot continue to walk the same path that we have been walking. If we want change, we will have to do things differently,” Hlabisa added.
Some of the issues that the party constituencies would negotiate include, crime, unemployment, poverty, inequality, load shedding, and the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor.
UIM president Neil de Beer said joining this convention was like deja vu as more than 30 years ago, he was here on this “hallowed ground” as a young member of the then Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) attending Codesa.
“We are here again to talk about freedom. We are not here to pick a fight to make any other party public enemy number one, but we are here to make the public number one. Our diversity makes us a great nation. It is in this diversity we will find a union,” he said.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said the outcome of these negotiations must be judged based on whether they provide concrete solutions to improve the lives of the South African people.
“Judge the politicians sitting here on whether the outcome promises tangible improvements to your life. Ask whether we are collectively providing solutions to issues like unemployment, load shedding and crime.
“If the answer is yes – if these parties emerge with an agreement not only to defeat the ANC, but to rescue South Africa – then I ask that you judge it as a success,” he said.
IOL