AS political parties gear up to battle for Gauteng on 29 May, the Basic Income Grant South Africa (BIGSA) party has joined the fight.
The party said poverty will be a thing of the past as it plans to provide citizens with social grants, including those working.
Party leader Hendrick Kekana said signing the Electoral Code of Conduct on Tuesday, 23 April, is a way to assure voters that the organisation is ready to eradicate poverty and hunger.
Speaking to Daily Sun, Kekana said his party will fight poverty, joblessness, crime, illegal immigration, corruption and teenage pregnancy through a universal basic income.
He said he plans to grow the economy by making funds available to people and businesses, as well as introducing small-scale farming.
As someone who grew up in places such as Ga-Rankuwa, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Soweto, Kekana said he has devoted his life to serving the people of Mzansi and that Gauteng is his first province where he will contest for the 2024 elections and hopes the party will make an impact.
ALSO READ: 'Bully' son arrested for insulting mum
"When this party was registered in 2022, the purpose was to unite the nation through the economy, to use the universal basic income whereby our plan is to allocate R3 500 to people above 26 years, including pensioners, and R1 500 for those aged between 18 and 25.
"For now, we will contest the elections in Gauteng only because we realised that one out of four people lives in this province. Almost 34% of the GDP of Mzansi is produced in Gauteng, and if we can make an impact here, the rest of South Africa will be easier to navigate in 2026 and 2029," Kekana explained.
He said that some of his plans are to close all municipalities and move all supply chains and administration to the provincial level to improve service delivery.
"Our people are tired, and they have recognised the mortification in the ruling party. This organisation was formed to fight the basic conditions of the poor. I've dedicated my life to the betterment of Mzansi, and my unwavering commitment to serving the less fortunate will serve as an inspiration to many.
"We will introduce economic solutions to the vast socio-economic challenges currently facing this country, as we believe that an economy that is not growing substantially will neither create, maintain, nor absorb formal jobs," he said.
Kekana, who will launch the party's manifesto on Saturday, 11 May, said he's engaging with residents around Gauteng to hear their cries and encouraging them to give BIGSA party a try for their lives to change.
