Johannesburg - The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday presented a socially-orientated election manifesto that promises South Africans jobs, food security, improved education and health services and lower crime levels.

ANC President Jacob Zuma launched the program at a rally in the city of East London attended by around 20,000 party supporters. "We will retain those strategies and practices that have been successful, but will change or improve those that have not delivered optimal results," Zuma said.

The launch of the ANC manifesto coincided with the 97th anniversary of the former liberation that came to power in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as president following all-race elections in the former Apartheid state.

Zuma said the ANC government had to date provided nearly 10 million houses, provided 18,7 million people with access to clean water and 10.9 million with sanitation.

The party's black economic empowerment and affirmative action policies would be retained, while the ANC would see to it that state- owned enterprises and development financial insitutions would play a major role in uplifting the poor, he said.

For the first time in its history, a split has emerged in the ANC as it prepares for elections. Disillusioned senior party members recently broke away from the ANC, saying it was no longer representative of the majority of South Africans and formed another party, the Congress of the People (COPE). The list of ANC "defectors" meanwhile continues to grow.

Mandela on Saturday distanced himself from ANC infighting, saying he would remain loyal to the party to his death.

General elections are expected to take place in late March or early April. Zuma, a former deputy South African president, is the party's leading candidate for the presidency. (dpa)