S Africa's ANC launches wish list to woo disgruntled voters

South African President Jacob Zuma acknowledges the crowd ahead of his keynote address in Nelspruit for the launching of the election Manifesto on January 10, 2014. South Africa's ruling ANC party unveils its election manifesto marking the official start of campaigning ahead of crucial general elections expected in the first half of this year. AFP PHOTO/MARCO LONGARI 

In Summary

• Despite its ranking as Africa's richest country and 20 years after the fall of apartheid, South Africa is still dogged by high levels of inequality and joblessness rates are growing stubbornly high.
• The first batch of South Africans born after the end of apartheid, so-called born-frees, will be casting ballots for the first time this year having attained the minimum voting age of 18 years.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma on Friday launched the ruling ANC party's election manifesto, hoping to help woo voters that are increasingly frustrated with persistent poverty, joblessness and corruption.

The party of the late iconic Nelson Mandela has in recent years been battered by accusations of graft and its inability to grow the economy of Africa's wealthiest nation.

"We must therefore intervene decisively," Zuma told hundreds guests at an African National Congress party dinner on the eve of the launch of its election campaign.

Polling takes place in the first half of this year, but the date is yet to be announced.

"The manifesto talks to what we will do, build an inclusive economy that creates jobs, transform our rural areas and... to fight corruption," said Zuma.

He did not reveal the details of the "wonderful" manifesto saying they will be made public at a rally on Saturday

Despite its ranking as Africa's richest country and 20 years after the fall of apartheid, South Africa is still dogged by high levels of inequality and joblessness rates are growing stubbornly high.

"That is why the manifesto focuses a great deal on ensuring that we have the kind of policies that will help us reduce inequality, create jobs and systematically and progressively eradicate poverty," Derek Hanekom, Science and Technology Minister, told AFP.

Facing one of its toughest elections ever, the ANC is expected to also focus its energy on tapping the support of young voters.

The first batch of South Africans born after the end of apartheid, so-called born-frees, will be casting ballots for the first time this year having attained the minimum voting age of 18 years.

Yet they are the generation at the receiving end of the slowing economic growth and dwindling job opportunities.

"The ANC faces it biggest challenge amongst younger South Africans," said political analyst Daniel Silke.

"The younger voter or first-time voter is much more questioning, they are more discerning, they are going to need to be convinced to vote for the ANC," added Silke.

The manifesto hinges around the so-called National Development Plan, which Zuma painstakingly defended during his speech.

This is widely opposed by some of the ANC's key political alliances in the labour movement that see it as neo-liberal.

Despite growing unpopularity, the ANC is still expected to win the polls, but could see a drop in its share of the vote to under 60 percent.

Zuma this week vowed that the ANC would govern South Africa "forever and ever".

The party is this year facing more radical political opponents at the ballot, following the creation of a political party by its expelled populist youth leader Julius Malema