The Allied Movement for Change held a press conference in Durban on Tuesday. Picture: Jolene Marriah
The Allied Movement for Change party leader Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Eman did not mince his words about the current situation of the country at the party’s address in Durban on Tuesday.
At a media briefing held at the Tropicana Hotel, Eman said the party for the first time would be contesting in the national and provincial elections on May 29.
The party currently holds a seat in the Umdoni Municipality in KZN.
Weeks into his appointment as the party presidential candidate, Eman told a group of people that 30 years after democracy South Africa was at a crossroads.
“It is now make or break. South Africa is losing R500 billion because of corruption.
“Skilled people are leaving the country, the situation looks hopeless.”
The party, whose main aim is to empower youth, said it was disturbing that one in two children do not finish school.
“Last year, 91,000 children gave birth to children.”
Speaking of the dire situation of single-headed households that did not have father figures, Eman said it was time for religion and culture to be brought to schools.
“This western society is a disaster in the making.”
Touching on the jobs issue, Eman said the country has all the wealth it needs to prosper, “yet we import almost everything.
“We need to become self-sufficient. Look at a country like Botswana, the mineral wealth is shared with the people.”
He said in South Africa “only a handful” were benefiting.
“We need to take back our wealth.”
Eman said sadly over three million people in the country were homeless.
“This number increases on average by 180,000 every year. If we come into power, within 100 days, we will immediately establish what land is available and give every needy family a piece of land, give them their dignity.”
Eman also spoke about the condition of the police force.
He said R13 a day danger allowance was not sufficient.
“As soon as one puts on that uniform, their life is at risk.”
He said the party’s plan would include giving more power to the police so that they could rid the streets of drugs and gangsterism.
The party’s main key focus areas include economic growth through job creation, crime and corruption, creating a more equal society and ensuring that the wealth of the country was returned to the country.
So why should South Africans put their faith in smaller parties like this?
“South Africans should be encouraged by the emergence of smaller parties like the AM4C, because it is these smaller parties that have, and continue to call for accountability in how state resources, the hard-earned taxes of citizens are used,” Eman said.
IOL News