Jardine: Govt has become face of corruption
The South African government has become the face of corruption, says anti-apartheid activist and businessman Rodger Jardine.
The former First Rand Group chairman launched his new political party, Change Starts Now, in Riverlea on Sunday.
Social justice activist Mark Heywood and former Helen Suzman executive director, Nicole Fritz, are two of the big names who've also decided to join the party ahead of next year's general election.
Speaking at the launch on Sunday, Jardine said South Africa no longer has a caring government.
"This government has become the face of corruption, the face of an uncaring, self-absorbed and incompetent state.
"There is another way. It is time for people from all walks of life, from all political formations, and from all sectors of society, to work together to form broad coalition that will bring political change," said Jardine.
"As South Africans there is a lot that we can disagree about, but most of us can agree on one thing - we cannot continue like this.
"We cannot continue to give power to those who are meant to restore the dignity, but instead on a daily basis, they are taking our dignity from us."
Jardine said his movement will consist of anti-apartheid and social justice activists, as well
as business people, and will seeks to remind South Africans that politics does not only belong to political parties.
"In 2024 we will be faced with a choice, to continue down a path that we are on, either by continuing to put faith in a party that has abandoned its principles, its mission and our people, or by standing on the sidelines.
"Or we can try to change the road we are on by coming together and saying that politics doesn't only belong to political parties.
"We can try and change our path by accepting that we are responsible for who governs us. We can choose," he said.
