African Independent Congress (AIC)

Founded: 2005.

The African Independent Congress is a South African party founded in Matatiele in 2005, when residents protested against the area being moved from KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape by a constitutional amendment. Its published manifesto, "A People's Charter for Inclusive Development", addresses unemployment, economic inclusion, expropriation of land without compensation, public health care and education, safety and border control, corruption, social development, traditional leadership, water and sanitation, the electoral system, poverty eradication and tourism. The party has held municipal and parliamentary seats and states in that manifesto that it has co-governed the Ekurhuleni, Rustenburg and Nelson Mandela Bay municipalities.

Official website: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanIndependentCongressParty/

Not yet reviewed by a human. These positions were placed by reading the sources below; each one links to the document it came from.

12 of 15 axes have a cited position. Axes without a published position are marked as such and are never scored.

Positions

Economy: state or market — -0.50

State-led: the state owns or directs key industries, sets prices and plans investment.Market-led: private ownership, deregulation, lower taxes and a smaller state.

Between the two poles

Develop Preferential Policy Framework, where we co-govern, to force contractors to subcontract at least 35 % of the actual work for the benefit of women-led SMMEs;

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 3. Economic Growth for Inclusiveness (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Land reform and expropriation — -2.00

Expropriation without compensation and state custodianship of land.Strong property rights; redistribution only through willing-buyer/willing-seller and the courts.

Expropriation without compensation and state custodianship of land.

To restore the human dignity of South Africans it is only fair to level the playing field, and have an equitable share of the land amongst the people. How the land is used will be monitored on an on-going basis by the state. Our views are that land should be expropriated without compensation, for the following reasons:

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 4. Land Reform for Agricultural Production and Human Settlements (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

BEE and race-based redress — -1.00

Race-based redress expanded: BEE, employment equity and ownership targets enforced.Race-based redress phased out or replaced by non-racial, class-based or need-based measures.

Leaning towards: race-based redress expanded: bee, employment equity and ownership targets enforced.

Have empowered Small Medium and Micro Sized Enterprises (SMME’s) through supplier development schemes, such as funding and BEE partnerships;

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 3. Economic Growth for Inclusiveness (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Labour market — +0.50

Strong worker protection: higher minimum wages, collective bargaining, limits on labour broking and dismissal.Flexible labour market: easier hiring and dismissal, fewer statutory protections, incentives for employers.

Between the two poles

Tackle the entry-level job requirements, such as experience, which have not only worsened the plight of young people but also excluded them from participating in mainstream economy;

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 2. Addressing Unemployment and Job-Creation (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Healthcare and NHI — -1.00

Universal public health care: a publicly funded and publicly provided National Health Insurance with a smaller private sector.Private provision: medical schemes and market competition carry most of the system, with a smaller public role.

Leaning towards: universal public health care: a publicly funded and publicly provided national health insurance with a smaller private sector.

To make public health care accessible, we will rezone fully-fledged and effective rural clinics to be available at each Ward. In addition, Mobile Clinics will be an added facility to strengthen the clinics and they will be monitored and evaluated to maximize efficiency, accountability and the quality of their service.

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 5. Health (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Education — -1.50

State-directed schooling: a central curriculum, expanded free public education and tighter regulation of independent schools.Parental choice: independent schools, charter-type models and market mechanisms in education.

State-directed schooling: a central curriculum, expanded free public education and tighter regulation of independent schools.

We will decolonize basic education and teach our children about our own indigenous knowledge systems, culture, governance and Africanism; Free education is non-negotiable. All former NSFAS beneficiaries’ outstanding loans will be cleared off;

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 6. Education (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Crime and policing — -0.50

Enforcement-first: more police and soldiers on the streets, harsher sentences, fewer procedural limits on the state.Prevention-first: community policing, restorative justice, and civil-liberties safeguards.

Between the two poles

Increase police visibility in our communities by makes police services (police stations) closer to the people. Fight crime, gender-based violence and gangsterism by stationing more police in our communities, including social care workers and family advocates to help combat the scourge of social decay

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 7. Safety and Security (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Immigration — -1.50

Restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.Open: freer movement, rights for migrants, and regional integration.

Restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.

Root out corruption in all our borders; This includes policing our borders 24/7 repatriating undocumented immigrants, and tightening our laws in relation to what ... is acceptable under international law in terms of accommodating political immigrants in the country;

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 7. Safety and Security (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Energy and climate — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Federalism and devolution — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Traditional leadership — -1.75

Expanded role: traditional leaders hold formal powers over governance, land and customary law.Limited role: elected structures and individual constitutional rights take precedence over customary authority.

Expanded role: traditional leaders hold formal powers over governance, land and customary law.

Creating an independent national Office of the Traditional Leaders, similar to the Office of the Chief Justice with budgeting, administration, procurement and shared services powers. ... Making a point that Indigenous law is upheld and only appealable through the traditional councils.

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 11. Supporting the System of Traditional Authority (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Social values — -0.50

Conservative: law reflects religious or traditional morality, with narrower reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.Liberal: secular law, with expanded gender, reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

Between the two poles

The greatest challenge is that the church which is ideally the vanguard currency for moral regeneration has lost its rightful position and voice within our fractured communities. ... Engage and assist indigenous and traditional churches to grant them advisory status to government

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 9. Social Development and Cohesion (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Foreign policy — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Anti-corruption and governance — -1.50

Expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.Smaller state machinery: fewer new bodies and regulations, with corruption handled through existing criminal law and the courts.

Expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.

Create Corruption-bust Units, more similar to the Scorpions, as corruption-negating weapons. These Units will be depoliticized and independent. ... Introduce lifestyle audits to all senior government officials

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 8. Corruption and Maladministration (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)

Local service delivery — -1.00

Centralised delivery: national standards and national or provincial intervention where councils fail.Municipal self-reliance: councils and communities decide, with private or community providers used where they work better.

Leaning towards: centralised delivery: national standards and national or provincial intervention where councils fail.

Take control of all water resources both private and unoccupied and place them under the new ministry of Water and Ecosystem Affairs; ... Fix all Water Boards and demarcate their line functions

AIC manifesto: A People's Charter for Inclusive Development , 10. Recognising All Human Rights: Water and Sanitation (manifesto, 2019-03-28; accessed 2026-10-18)