ATM Election Manifesto 2024 | African Transformation Movement

African Transformation Movement (ATM) ELECTION MANIFESTO 2024

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) launched its election manifesto in Jabulani, Soweto. The ATM is set to deliver their objectives ahead of the polls on the May 29 elections.

From The President Vuyolwethu Zungula To The People Of South Africa

We Are Ready To Serve, Ready To Govern!

The imminent 2024 national general elections carry profound historical significance in the tapestry of South African history, especially as we commemorate the 30^th anniversary of our democracy. It prompts us to reflect on the commitments made a quarter of a century ago during the inaugural democratic elections. In acknowledging the enduring challenges the persist in our society, the African Transformation Movement (ATM) recognizes the pressing need for transformative action. Positioned at the outset of a new era, the ATM stands as a beacon of hope, presenting itself as an alternative political home that extends its embrace to all South Africans.

In a ground-breaking approach to governance, the ATM redefines the role of politicians, affirming that they are in office to serve the people, not to bask in celebrity status. ATM’s manifesto is a visionary blueprint that puts South Africans at the forefront, addressing key issues across various sections.

Stringent measures against drug dealers, corrupt police offers and unethical public servants, underscore ATM’s commitment to justice and integrity. A robust system of effective border controls, coupled with enforcement of immigration laws which ensures legal movements to the Republic, bolstering national security.

The manifesto emphasizes a paradigm shift where South Africans are prioritized for jobs, business opportunities and government contracts, fostering economic empowerment. Economic transformation takes centre stage, advocating for mass economic participation through locally manufactures goods to drive job creation. The bold proposition of state ownership of minerals, local processing and exporting finished products aims to fortify the nation’s economic backbone. ATM champions Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), calling for increased government budget allocation to stimulate entrepreneurship.

Educational transformation is a linchpin of this manifesto, promoting a skills-based curriculum tailored to the needs of the economy. A unique focus of the country’s mineral wealth aims to equip South Africans with the expertise to process and refine their resources. Infrastructure investment remains a priority, with a commitment to building libraries, skills development centres, and educational facilities in townships and villages.

Land expropriation without compensation is proposed to ensure productive utilization of land, addressing the food security, human settlements and fostering economic participation. The transformative vison extends to the urban landscape, with plans to expropriate hijacked buildings in the inner city, creating world-class housing for affordable, quality living near economic hubs.

ATM positions the state of the heart of development, service provision, and problem solving, promising a central role in shaping a progressive South Africa. This manifesto embodies a commitment to an inclusive, prosperous and responsive nation, where citizens are not just served but are active participants in building a better tomorrow.

As we proudly present our manifest during the significant period of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, the ATM underscores its unwavering commitment to prioritizing the promotion of gender equality and the protection of minority and vulnerable groups, with a specific focus on the welfare of women and children. This manifesto serves as a comprehensive blueprint for South Africa that actively champions the rights and well-being of all its citizens, irrespective of gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Through legislative measures, community engagement, and the creation of supportive frameworks, ATM aims to foster and environment where everyone, regardless of gender or background, can thrive and contribute to the nation’s progress. This manifesto is more than a document; it is a testament to our mission to build a South Africa where every individual, especially women and children, can live free from fear, discrimination and violence.

This manifesto of the ATM is based on the following ten (10) primary pillars of hope that will put South Africans first by bringing change for a better tomorrow:

Peace, Justice, Safety and Security.
Sustainable Economic Growth that Creates Jobs.
Land, Rural Development, and Food Security.
Sustainable Human Settlements and Basic Services.
Education and Skills Development.
Health and Social Services.
Royal and Faith Affairs.
Youth and Early Childhood Development.
Empowerment of Women and Other Vulnerable Groups.
Building a Corrupt-free and Responsive Development State.

In reflecting on the state of our nation, it is disheartening to observe a recurring trend where leaders prioritizes personal agendas over the needs of society, fostering a sense of hopelessness among citizens who feel underserved. The government’s historical failure to address the myriad crises facing our country has left a void that citizens, civil society, private sector, faith and royal leaders have been compelled to fill. Rather than being at the forefront of solutions, the government lack of effective action has inadvertently shifted the burden onto the shoulders of those who should be beneficiaries of their governance. This prevailing dynamic underscored the urgent need for a new era of leadership, one that places the welfare and aspirations of the people at the forefront, rekindling faith in the ability of government to genuinely serve and uplift society.

wht vote atm

For a corruption-free government with uninterrupted service delivery.
To facilitate convenient collection, timeous, and uninterrupted grant system for all deserving citizens.
Transformation of the township and rural economies to ensure mass economic participation of citizens. Prioritisation of citizens for job opportunities.
Compulsory local processing of minerals and exportation of finished goods. To ensure mine and farm workers are co-owners of the mines and farms that they work in.
Reopening of closed and abandoned factories for local production of what we consume.
For increased police visibility, rigorous crime prevention programs and introduction of death penalty for repeating offenders of heinous crimes such as murder and rape.
Hiring of unemployed qualified Environmental Health Practitioners to inspect expired and counterfeit goods not fit for human consumption.
Promotion of faith sector and royal leadership for an increased role in moral regeneration and entrenchment of African values and norms.
To accelerate free, skills-based, and decolonized education system that promotes entrepreneurship development.
Increase in infrastructure investment for libraries, skills development centres and other educational facilities in the townships and villages.
Expropriation of hijacked, dilapidated inner city buildings to be transformed into student accommodation and world class, affordable, quality living facilities situated close to areas of economic activity.
Expropriation of land without compensation to ensure food security, adequate human settlements, and economic participation of the natives.
To ensure prisoners do unpaid hard labour for the State as part of their rehabilitation.
Harsh punishment for drug dealers, human traffickers, corrupt police and public servants.
To enforce effective border management systems to ensure legal movement of non-citizens.

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1. Ready to serve, ready to govern:

The manifesto outlines the foundational provisions, objectives, political principles, and core values of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), a faith-based National Political Party in South Africa.

Founding Provisions and Objectives:

The ATM aims to create a modern, healthy, democratic, and prosperous society emphasizing integrity and inclusivity.
Its political ideology is rooted in Humanism, particularly African Humanism, promoting the idea of “One God and One Race, the Human Race.”
Objectives include offering a good quality of life for all citizens, promoting Ubuntu, protecting vulnerable groups, fighting against various forms of oppression, promoting a mixed economy, advocating for social justice and equality, supporting environmental sustainability, and fostering global peace and cooperation.

Political Principle:

The ATM seeks to transform South Africa into a peaceful, ethically-governed, and economically viable state, upholding constitutional values, Ubuntu, divinity, and human rights, while embracing diversity through non-racialism.

Core Values [PUT South Africans 1st]:

PEACE: Encouraging social dialogue and decisive leadership to achieve internal peace.
UBUNTU: Embracing the philosophy of interconnectedness and mutual support among individuals.
TRANSFORMATION: Promoting forward-thinking and innovation in governance.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Prioritizing service to the people and sound governance.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Upholding ethics and integrity in governance to ensure accountability and curb corruption.

These principles and values form the basis of the ATM’s vision for South Africa, emphasizing inclusivity, ethical governance, and the well-being of all citizens.

2. Peace, safety, and security now:

The ATM manifesto outlines the pressing issues of peace, justice, safety, and security in South Africa, highlighting concerns such as rising crime rates, a decline in trust in law enforcement, and internal conflicts. The African Transformation Movement (ATM) recognizes the need for transformative action to address these challenges, particularly as the 2024 National General Elections approach.

Recent statistics reveal alarming trends, including an increase in murders and a decline in satisfaction with law enforcement and the judicial system. The root causes are attributed to a lack of ethical leadership, abandonment of divine values, and departure from Ubuntu.

To address these issues, ATM proposes a comprehensive approach that includes:

Community Education and Empowerment: Launching initiatives to educate and empower communities to foster law-abiding behaviour and establish community-driven programs to enhance safety awareness.
Police Training and Resource Allocation: Ensuring comprehensive training for police officers, providing necessary resources to law enforcement agencies, and focusing on combating organized crime.
Crime Reduction Strategies: Implementing effective strategies to combat crime, countering the proliferation of firearms, improving safety in high-crime areas, and addressing crime generators like taxi and gang violence.
Protection of Women and Children: Implementing measures to reduce crimes against women and children, advocating for safer environments, and providing support to survivors.
Improved Local Service Delivery: Enhancing service delivery at the local level to mitigate the risk of service delivery protests and promoting effective communication between local government and communities.

Additionally, ATM commits to various measures in the next term of Parliament, including a constitutional review process, reform of the parole system, transformation of the justice system, and strengthening community policing initiatives.

The document also includes specific proposals such as the employment of Police Reservists, deployment of special task teams to crime-rampant areas, and enhancement of victim support services.

Overall, ATM presents itself as a candidate for change, pledging to address the critical issues of peace, justice, safety, and security for a better tomorrow in South Africa.

3. Sustainable economic growth that creates jobs:

The manifesto highlights the economic challenges facing South Africa, including declining growth rates, unemployment, and poverty, despite the country’s substantial resources and potential. The African Transformation Movement (ATM) aims to foster sustainable economic growth that creates jobs by addressing these challenges and implementing strategic reforms.

Key issues addressed include:

Economic Transformation: Reforms to streamline government bureaucracy, enhance labour market flexibility, and attract skilled workers.
Investment in Education and Skills Development: Prioritizing education and skills development to address the shortage of skilled workers and boost productivity.
Anti-Corruption Measures: Implementing robust measures to create a transparent and ethical business environment.
Crime Prevention Strategies: Developing comprehensive strategies to address security concerns and boost investor confidence.
Job-Centric Policies: Formulating policies focused on job creation and inclusivity to reduce unemployment and inequality.
Market Competition: Promoting fair competition and preventing monopolies and oligopolies to create a more competitive economy.
Boosting Export Promotion: Initiatives to enhance export promotion, create jobs, and improve South Africa’s global competitiveness through targeted strategies aligned with the country’s strengths and capabilities.
Industrialization through Manufacturing and Beneficiation: Shifting the economic focus towards industrialization by encouraging manufacturing and beneficiation processes within South Africa, aiming to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on raw material exports, and create jobs by reopening closed and abandoned factories for local production.

Additionally, ATM pledges to maximize South Africa’s regional and international influence, promote equal opportunities, ensure timely payments to service providers, prioritize integrated economic growth, boost export promotion, and encourage industrialization through manufacturing and beneficiation.

Other commitments include establishing a state-owned bank, protecting and transforming the informal sector, supporting Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), incentivizing sustainable export sectors, and ensuring local procurement.

4. Land, rural development, and food security:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) emphasizes the critical importance of land, rural development, and food security in South Africa. Recognizing that land is essential for ownership, development, and production, ATM acknowledges the need to address imbalances in land ownership while upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Rural development, as defined by ATM, involves advancing human capacity, practices, and potential in rural areas through improved institutions, infrastructure, and economic activities. Despite past efforts, rural development initiatives have not translated into significant delivery, necessitating a new approach.

Food insecurity in South Africa disproportionately affects women-headed households, rural communities, and Black South African households. This inequality is exacerbated by poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, and inadequate social safety nets.

ATM pledges to address these issues by:

Eradicating rural poverty through equitable access to basic services and sustainable rural development.
Supporting small-scale farmers and agro-industries to boost food security.
Implementing a land reform policy that redistributes land to dispossessed and landless people while ensuring peace and stability.
Introducing a “Green Revolution” in rural areas to enhance food security and integrate agriculture with other development initiatives.
Prioritizing women’s land tenure security and revitalizing agricultural education.
Launching a Farming Revolution to provide resources and support to households with arable land.
Mandating retailers to source a minimum of 50% of produce from local emerging farmers to support their market access.

ATM commits to creating jobs in rural areas, supporting land reform, enhancing rural development and food security, and revitalizing agriculture education to ensure a better future for all South Africans.

5. Sustainable human settlements and basic services:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) emphasizes the constitutional right to adequate housing and access to basic services for all South Africans. Acknowledging the challenges faced in housing delivery, including backlogs, social and economic segregation, and limited funding and land availability, ATM highlights the importance of sustainable mechanisms for housing and human settlements.

ATM pledges to:

Recognize the delivery of public and basic services as a democratic right and a legitimate expectation.
Address housing and basic services backlogs to ensure supply meets demand, considering factors such as population growth and urbanization trends.
Promote flexibility in housing design to accommodate land availability, preferences, and affordability.
Set realistic targets to eradicate informal settlements and provide clean water, sanitation, and affordable electricity to all South Africans.

In the next parliamentary term, ATM commits to:

Creating integrated sustainable human settlements with mixed land uses, housing options, and social and economic amenities.
Integrating housing with social and economic amenities to ensure inclusivity and accessibility.
Introducing larger stand areas and rental rooms to accommodate future additions and provide income opportunities.
Using housing provision to create local jobs and promote local procurement.
Driving economic development in rural areas to reduce migration to cities.
Ensuring access to safe, clean water for all citizens.
Expropriating dilapidated inner-city buildings for transformation into affordable living facilities and student accommodations.

ATM advocates for a better future where every South African has access to adequate housing and basic services, promoting sustainability, inclusivity, and economic development.

6. Education and skills development:

The education system in South Africa faces profound challenges that demand urgent attention and comprehensive reform. Despite its fundamental importance for economic growth, the current system falls short in preparing students for life beyond school, particularly impacting black children and perpetuating historical imbalances.

Global assessments reveal South Africa’s education system ranking poorly in terms of quality and outcomes, with significant dropout rates and deficiencies in core competencies like mathematics and reading. Moreover, the misalignment between education and economic needs exacerbates the challenges, hindering economic progress and perpetuating cycles of poverty.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) recognizes the urgency of educational reform and pledges to address systemic issues, align education with economic needs, and prioritize early childhood development. ATM envisions a future where learning and teaching are enriched through strategic initiatives, particularly in higher learning institutions.

ATM’s commitment includes:

Ensuring a quality, free, compulsory, and transformative education system responsive to the country’s needs.
Addressing crime in schools to ensure safety and security.
Prioritizing education for self-reliance and livelihoods.
Accelerating the implementation of free, skills-based, and decolonized education.
Expropriating inner-city hijacked buildings for conversion into student accommodation.
Increasing infrastructure investment in educational facilities, particularly in townships and villages.

In the next parliamentary term, ATM commits to:

Establishing comprehensive scholarship programs for access to quality education.
Collaborating with independent schools to enhance education quality.
Learning from successful African education models and adapting relevant strategies.
Reopening teacher training institutes and investing in teacher professional development.
Implementing early intervention programs and support for struggling learners.
Enhancing the school-parent relationship and improving school infrastructure.
Depoliticizing and de-commercializing education.
Reintroducing and professionalizing sports, arts, and cultural programs.
Promoting African languages in higher education curriculum.

ATM’s holistic approach aims to empower South African children, break the cycle of inequality, and unlock the nation’s true potential through transformative education.

7. Health and social services:

South Africa’s healthcare system faces a crisis, ranking last in global efficiency among 19 countries and leaving many citizens with inadequate access to essential services, especially in rural areas. The recently introduced National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill aims to rectify this, ensuring quality healthcare for all, regardless of economic status. ATM pledges to invest in healthcare infrastructure, improve ambulance services, and ensure medication availability, particularly in underserved areas.

ATM recognizes the vital role of traditional healers, pledging to integrate their practices into the healthcare system. This includes investing in education for herbalists while preserving their traditional expertise. Additionally, ATM commits to deploying Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) nationwide to address environmental challenges and safeguard public health.

In the next parliamentary term, ATM commits to reopening nursing colleges, disease prevention strategies, decentralizing healthcare authority, and creating a new regulatory category for medical schemes. They also pledge support for the social wage, mental healthcare accessibility, crackdown on unregistered medical practitioners, and free sanitary towels for all citizens.

In addition to the broader healthcare reforms, ATM pledges to implement specific measures to address critical issues:

Investment in Healthcare Education: Reopening nursing colleges, structuring public-private partnerships (PPPs) for nurse training, and opening more medical schools with private sector participation to train additional nurses, GPs, and specialists.
Disease Prevention Strategies: Implementing education on disease screening and lifestyle changes to combat prevalent diseases like TB, HIV, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, focusing on long-term prevention.
Decentralization of Healthcare Authority: Decentralizing staffing, financial management, procurement, and disciplinary decisions to the hospital level to ensure clear accountability, improve operational efficiency, and enhance universal access to quality healthcare.
Creation of a New Regulatory Medical Scheme Category: Introducing a new regulatory category of medical schemes targeting lower-income individuals to increase access to private care and alleviate the burden on the public health system.
Support for the Social Wage: Ensuring sufficient social welfare grants and pensions linked to cost-of-living increases to support vulnerable individuals.
Full Employment of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs): Deploying EHPs nationwide to ensure food safety and remove counterfeit and expired foods from all establishments.
Access to Mental Healthcare: Making mental healthcare facilities easily accessible, especially for disadvantaged communities.
Crackdown on Unregistered Medical Practitioners: Conducting a widescale crackdown on unregistered doctors masquerading as registered medical practitioners to uphold standards and protect public health.
Free Sanitary Towels: Ensuring that sanitary towels are freely provided and funded by the state, with a special focus on rural areas and townships to promote hygiene and dignity.

ATM’s manifesto underscores their dedication to building a healthier, more inclusive nation that values diverse healing traditions and empowers its citizens.

8. Royal and Faith Affairs:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) advocates for the recognition and inclusion of Royal and Faith institutions in South Africa, highlighting their crucial roles in moral regeneration and community cohesion. ATM emphasizes the need to address the lack of clarity regarding the roles of Royal Leaders and the under representation of faith institutions in the public domain. By acknowledging the importance of these institutions, ATM aims to foster a society built on shared values, ethics, and respect for authority.

In its commitment to serving and governing effectively, ATM pledges to ensure full recognition, respect, and support for Royal Leaders, as well as equitable recognition for all religious formations. Additionally, ATM commits to capacitating Royal Leaders to handle conflicts and disputes in their communities.

In the next term of Parliament, ATM further commits to protecting freedom of religion and family integrity, restoring Royal kingdoms destroyed by colonialism, promoting African languages, respecting African traditional law, and formally establishing and supporting African Royalty’s participation in governance. These initiatives reflect ATM’s dedication to building a more inclusive and culturally rich South Africa.

9. Youth and early childhood development:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) recognizes the critical importance of investing in youth and early childhood development for the future prosperity of the country. Acknowledging the challenges faced by the youth, including high unemployment rates and vulnerabilities in the education system, ATM prioritizes initiatives aimed at empowering and supporting young people.

In its commitment to serving and governing effectively, ATM pledges to protect and advance the interests of vulnerable groups, including youth and children.

In the next term of Parliament, ATM commits to several key initiatives to support youth development:

Prioritizing access to early childhood development facilities.
Providing training and funding for youth entrepreneurship to shift focus from job-seeking to job creation.
Standardizing post-matric military training for youth and facilitating their integration into the labour market.
Addressing holistic youth development, including practical skills, mental health awareness, and emotional intelligence.
Creating collaborative ecosystems with educational institutions, private sectors, and community organizations to support youth development.
Ensuring inclusivity in programs to cater to the diverse needs of youth, including those with disabilities.
Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of youth development initiatives and make necessary adjustments.
Promoting gender equality in youth development and creating opportunities for the advancement of young women.

These commitments reflect ATM’s dedication to empowering the youth and ensuring their active participation in building a prosperous future for South Africa.

10. Empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) recognizes the imperative of empowering women and vulnerable groups, including those within the LGBTQ community, as integral to addressing societal inequalities in South Africa. Despite existing legal frameworks for gender equality, effective implementation and enforcement remain challenges, perpetuating disparities and injustices.

ATM acknowledges historical marginalization of women and the persistent barriers faced by vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach encompassing legal reforms, social awareness campaigns, and economic empowerment initiatives.

ATM pledges to uphold and strengthen legislation to combat gender-based violence and discrimination, including specialized law enforcement units and comprehensive awareness campaigns. Additionally, ATM commits to promoting gender diversity in leadership, enforcing equal pay, and supporting women-owned businesses through financial literacy programs and tailored financial services.

Education for girls, challenging gender stereotypes, and inclusivity for people with disabilities are also prioritized by ATM. Intersectional approaches recognizing diverse backgrounds and experiences are advocated, alongside international collaborations to learn from successful policies implemented elsewhere.

In its commitment to serving and governing effectively, ATM aims to create a South Africa where women and vulnerable groups are empowered, respected, and afforded equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or ability.

11. Building a corrupt – free and capable developmental state:

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) is dedicated to building a corrupt-free and capable developmental state in South Africa. Out manifesto outlines comprehensive strategies to address institutional breakdown, rampant corruption, and growing inequality, aiming to restore public trust and promote economic progress.

ATM’s manifesto emphasizes robust governance, demanding accountability and transparency from every level of power. We pledges to advocate for strengthened regulatory oversight and condemn any attempts to cover up corruption. Upholding the rule of law and restoring public trust in institutions are paramount to ATM’s vision for a corrupt-free government.

Key commitments include investing in ongoing training for public servants, clarifying the political-administrative interface, stabilizing state-owned enterprises, and enhancing transparency and citizen engagement. ATM also vows to strengthen anti-corruption measures, conduct regular performance reviews and audits, and hold the executive accountable through legislative frameworks and citizen oversight.

ATM’s commitments include:

Investing in ongoing training and professional development programs for public servants to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Establishing mechanisms for performance evaluation and accountability within the public service, fostering a culture of excellence and merit-based promotions.
Insulating the public service from political patronage to ensure diligent service to the government and the public.

Furthermore, ATM pledges to:

Clarify the roles and responsibilities of political principals and administrative heads to ensure accountability and transparency.
Stabilize state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by defining their public interest mandates, enhancing governance structures, and conducting regular performance assessments.
Balance outsourcing and insourcing practices to create jobs without compromising state efficiency.
Implement executive accountability measures, including legislation to hold the executive accountable at all levels and empower oversight bodies.
Enhance transparency and citizen engagement through open data initiatives and public consultations.
Strengthen anti-corruption measures by enhancing frameworks for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting corruption.
Conduct regular performance reviews and audits for government departments and agencies, promoting transparency and accountability.

With these initiatives, ATM aims to transform South Africa into a peaceful, ethically governed, and economically viable state, upholding constitutional values and respecting human rights for the benefit of all citizens.