Multi-party Charter Unveils Plan to Deliver Basic Services to All Through High-quality Infrastructure

Joint Media Statement by the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, ACDP, ISANCO, UIM, SNP, UCDP, Ekhethu and UNP

For decades South Africa’s Government has been underspending on infrastructure, neglecting our critical road and rail networks, allowing port facilities to decline and
disregarding essential water and sanitation infrastructure. The result of underspending and neglect goes beyond loadshedding to encompass a water system in crisis, a municipal sewerage system crisis, a collapsing rail system and a severely overburdened road network.

This impacts directly on the provision of basic services and cripples Government’s capacity to ensure social wellbeing and economic development.

In 2024, there is urgent need for the electorate to remove a failed government and hand the reins to a leadership with the skills, political will and integrity to deliver basic services to all through high-quality infrastructure. The Multi-Party Charter for South Africa is that leadership.

Today the eleven parties in the Multi-Party Charter unveiled a Charter Government’s plan to expand and maintain South Africa critical infrastructure, promoting sustainable water use, safeguarding South Africa’s water treatment plants, strengthening maritime facilities for international trade and economic growth, establishing a well-maintained structured road network, and improving the rail network for enhanced connectivity and efficiency.

The Charter’s specific plans, as discussed in greater detail by the Charter Leaders, include the following –

1. Promote Public-Private-Partnership (PPP’s), working with the private sector to help address infrastructure challenges by leveraging the private sector’s financial support, expertise and innovation.
2. Prevent breakdowns and expand the lifespan of infrastructure and equipment by leveraging smart maintenance strategies.
3. Expand access to broadband internet through partnerships with the private sector.
4. Build water-smart cities that are connected with real-time relevant data and information that isshared widely to mitigate water leaks and their response times.
5. Implement an Effect-Based Method (EBM) for water quality testing.
6. Revise water consumption practices for bulk water users like schools, hospitals, laundry facilities, and large-use buildings.
7. Institute smaller-scale water treatment solutions that are applied directly to facilities.
8. Encourage industries to adopt decentralised solutions for water reuse and recycling.
9. Explore the expansion of groundwater extraction.
10. Invest in modernising, upgrading and expanding port infrastructure.
11. Embrace smart infrastructure and digitalisation.
12. Optimise vessel disembarking schedules and cargo handling.
13. Propose a long-term strategy for the management and improvement of the road network. E.g.Introduce asset management standards and plans for preservation, maintenance, and management of transport infrastructure
14. Reintroduce branch rail lines.
15. Transfer responsibility for rail infrastructure to the Ministry of Transport.
16. Devolve rail service management to competent provincial governments and metros.
17. Enhance the protection of the railway network from infrastructure vandalism.
18. Deploy increased CCTV equipment for continuous monitoring and establish a central control centre.
19. Enforce stringent copper theft reduction targets at parastatals.
20. Foster close collaboration and information sharing between law enforcement agencies and metal recyclers.

These commitments have been agreed to by all the signatory parties to the Multi-Party Charter, having consulted with a broad range of experts and capitalizing on the governance experience within the Charter.

We invite the electorate to consider the powerful impact you can make towards efficient service delivery, by installing a Multi-Party Charter Government in the coming election.

While the individual parties within the Charter are campaigning on their own merit, with distinct policies, brands and offerings, voters can confidently cast their vote knowing what each party will provide within a Charter Government.

This level of unity and vision is unprecedented in South African politics, and is exactly what our country needs.

Media enquiries:
DA: Charity McCord, Media Officer to the DA Federal Leader 078 126 2765
IFP: Lyndith Waller, Office of the IFP President 073 929 1418
FF Plus: Heloise Denner MP, Spokesperson for the FF Plus 072 997 8315
ActionSA: Sam Mgobozi, Communications Director for ActionSA 078 231 5977
ACDP: Joshua Meshoe, Communications Director for ACDP 060 543 7352
ISANCO: Dr Yongama Mrwetyana, Media Officer for ISANCO 071 795 1117
UIM: Virginia Young, Media Liaison for UIM 064 283 6781
SNP: Winston Coetzee, Deputy President for SNP 082 228 3523
UCDP: Henry Hlengwa, Secretary General 071 421 7208
Ekhethu: Tumelo Ngobeni, Spokesperson 071 868 2157
UNP: Prince Nkwana, Party Leader 083 702 1471