• National Leadership of the UDM • Provincial and regional leaders of the party • UDM members and supporters • Fellow South Africans 1. Introduction Greetings to you all and thank you for welcoming the United Democratic Movement (UDM) into your midst with such open arms. We have been here many times after that fateful day on 16 August 2012. We still mourn the loss of life and pray that those who paid with [...]
• Our hosts today • Dr Somadoda Fikeni, our moderator • Those who represent the various departments that sponsored this panel discussion • My colleagues from other political parties • Academics and students • Ladies and gentlemen Thank you for affording me the opportunity to have a chat with you today. 1. The UDM’s road of success The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has since its inception batted on the wicket of the ethics of [...]
Address by Mr BH Holomisa, MP and UDM President regarding an Alternative State of the Nation at the Cape Town Press Club • Chairperson • Ladies and gentlemen 1. Introduction We are grateful to be part of this engagement exploring the very important subject of the true state of the nation. We are just three months away from the 6th democratic elections in South Africa, which means that electioneering has begun and that all [...]
Mr Bantu Holomisa, MPUDM President We welcome President Ramaphosa’s decision to show Nhlanhla Nene the door. We have consistently been calling on the President to act with speed in instituting a commission of inquiry regarding the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). The Gupta scandal makes the exploitation of the PIC look like a Sunday picnic and the President should take immediate action so that the rot may be exposed. We now know why [...]
Media release by Mr Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP and UDM Deputy President On Labour Day, 1 May 2018, we all dwell on the plight of the working South African and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) unequivocally supports our workforce. South Africa’s painful history, with the exploitation of black South Africans, has left a scar on the psyche of our workforce and the poor. Today the formerly oppressed, comprising the biggest section of our workforce, as [...]
Speaking Notes for Mr B Holomisa, MP and UDM President at a Public Community Meeting on the Expropriation of Land without Compensation: a National Assembly Resolution • Chairperson • Traditional, religious and community leaders • Leaders of the UDM and our public representatives • Ladies and gentlemen 1. Welcome Thank you for accepting my invitation to this meeting. Today we will consider an issue of national importance i.e. the debate around the expropriation of [...]
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) makes an urgent call on government to refer the proposed changes to the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, as well as the introduction of the National Minimum Wages Bill, back to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). These proposed changes are tantamount to rolling back progress made thus far in terms of the rights of the working class. From the thunderous outcry [...]
NMF's 4th anniversary of the passing of Madiba (Houghton) • Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, • Mrs Graça Machel and Members of the Mandela Family, • Honoured Guests, • Ladies and Gentlemen. 1. Meeting Nelson Mandela When Madiba passed away, four years ago, a great sense of loss filled the Nation and a resounding note of sadness reverberated across the Globe. Today we remember his departure, reflect [...]
Mr Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s maiden Medium-Term Budget Policy speech was unimpressive. In fact, it seemed a mere rehash of his predecessors’ old proposals. He was so non-committal, that there is very little hope that we will soon see agencies rate South Africa higher than ‘junk status’. The reaction of the Rand, to his speech, might be a sign of worse things to come. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes [...]
STATEMENT ISSUED BY MR NQABAYOMZI KWANKWA – UDM DEPUTY PRESIDENT AND CHIEF WHIP The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the good news of South Africa’s exit from the recession. The poorest of the poor need a better performing economy to take them out of poverty, unemployment and inequality. We hope, corruption which compounds these triple challenges, will also be defeated and buried with urgency, so that this improved economic performance benefits the people; not the [...]
Statement issued by Mr Bantu Holomisa – UDM President The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is disturbed by the reports of alleged political intolerance in Lesotho. In this regard, we call on the Southern African Development Community (SADC), through its facilitator, the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene with speed, and ensure political stability. We must do everything possible, and within our powers, to avert political instability that may result to loss [...]
If it was not for the serious implications of the ruling party deployment agency; one might be tempted to laugh at the situation around the reinstatement of Mr Brian Molefe as the Eskom Chief Executive (CE). Exasperated opinions by, or on, Mr Molefe, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Browne, the ruling party and the Eskom Board falls from the sky like hail stones on a tin roof. According to the ruling party, Mr Molefe’s reinstatement “…is [...]
Dear Mr Nqakula REQUEST FOR URGENT MEETING: JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE The above matter refers. In my capacity as a member of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, I request that you convene an urgent meeting of the Committee to consider the widely reported and circulated ‘Intelligence Report’ [the Report] that purportedly has been the central reason for the change of leadership in the National Treasury. In order for the Committee to be [...]
Honourable Speaker and Honourable members The United Democratic Movement (UDM) supports the 2017 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposal and the Report of the Standing Committee on Finance. We appreciate that the Minister, as always, tried his best, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances occasioned by the bold call from the President for a budget that responds to the Radical Socio-Economic Transformation path as adopted by government. This was a very difficult expectation given the hard fact of [...]
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the findings of the Competition Commission regarding 17 major banks operating in South Africa accused of price fixing in international markets and manipulating the South African currency. The Competition Commission has been courageous in its fight against corruption, especially the private sector. Most of its findings have withstood scrutiny and we therefore believe that in this instance it has also done its work with precision. Once this is confirmed [...]
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is appalled to learn that President Zuma is considering establishing a judicial inquiry into the closure of the bank accounts of the Guptas’ Oakbay Investments. The President confirmed this after being asked the following straight-forward question during the oral question session in Parliament on 23 November 2016: “Mr. President, on the 2nd September 2016, you told the nation that the statement made by Minister Zwane was not representing presidency, cabinet [...]
