• John Steenhuisen says SA can now choose between a party that wants to empower its citizens versus one that wants to give more powers to the state.
• The DA held its inaugural policy conference via zoom.
• Steenhuisen says DA policies will be able to ignite a jobs revolution and grow the economy.

DA interim leader John Steenhuisen says the only way to turn South Africa's fortunes for the better is through a change in policy paradigm and direction.

He made the comments in a short video following the DA's two-day policy conference, held via Zoom.

Steenhuisen said the DA had debated and produced policies its members believed were the best to take the country forward.

Without mentioning the ANC, he said, for the first time in many years, the country had a clear choice to make between a party that sought to give more power to the state, and the DA, which he said would empower people.

"From means-tested empowerment to fighting for a non-racial future that includes all South Africa, economic policies that will lift people out of poverty and into opportunity, and focusing on the 13 million South Africans who live below the poverty line through meaningful broad-based empowerment policies," he said.

South Africa is already in a recession, with an even more bleak economic outlook predicted as the government and several stakeholders attempt to find solutions and investment in order to rebuild in a post Covid-19 world.

The unemployment rate, currently at 30.1%, is also expected to continue growing as the country's economy reels from the effects of Covid-19.

"These are the policies we believe are going to take this country forward. We need to ignite the jobs revolution in this country, and we need to have record economic growth," said Steenhuisen.

The DA will hold a media briefing on Monday.