Holomisa speaks at UDM Rally at Gompo Community Hall, Duncan Village, East London

STATE THE NATION

Let’s however discuss the state of the nation first.

Every five years, South Africans brave the long queues at voting stations to exercise their right to choose the political party which they think will best govern their province and this country.

Although some progress has been made over the past five years, corruption sticks out like a sore thumb. It of course has many negative implications for our citizens, but it also results in the South Africa’s downgrading on international ratings indexes and this in turn negatively impacts on direct foreign investment.

The main question that voters should ask themselves is this:
“Do I want to suffer for another five years at the hand of a party that loots state resources and celebrate corruption?”.

It is astounding that the African National Congress (ANC) had the audacity to “reroute” millions of taxpayers’ money into building a lodge for President Zuma; and they go into defence-mode and try to justify ridiculous things, such as the need to have a swimming pool, just in case one of the thatched roofs catches fire. Who are they kidding?

President Zuma, is an ANC deployee; in other words the citizen of South Africa did not elect him to power. The next question that springs to mind is: “Why are they treating him differently?” – especially given how they unceremoniously got rid of President Mbeki, albeit for different reasons.

Many South Africans are sickened by the flagrant arrogance of the president and his party. They hold the Public Protector in blatant contempt and, without any shame, hurl personal insults at Advocate Madonsela.

Seven (7) May is around the corner, and voters should take a critical look at the way the ANC has left our people in the dirt and dust of an inequitable society.

We will probably also be in agreement that the various provinces are not treated equally. If you doubt this statement, just compare the budget allocations and distribution of resources in the nine provinces.

STATE OF THE EASTERN CAPE

It is common knowledge that this province is heavily under budgeted given the two homelands and townships’ infrastructure that had to be integrated into in the developed infrastructure that was passed on in 1994.

This has not happened. To mention but a few of the problems: the roads in the Eastern Cape are impassable; there is a shortage of water; no fencing of graze lands and mealie fields, etc.

The infrastructure of the former homelands and in townships are in a shocking state of disrepair. When you travel the Transkei, the Ciskei and places like here in Duncan Village, Mdantsane and the townships of Port Elizabeth you might think you have entered a 3rd world country.

It boggles the mind that the very organisation that purports to have the best interest of our people at heart, has failed them so spectacularly – it has almost leaves you with the perception that our people are worse off than when they were under the apartheid government.

This is a travesty, and the voters should punish the ANC for putting the future of the poor masses on the back burner or they simply stick their heads in the ground and practice ostrich politics.

Only the few have struck it lucky sit in the pound seats when it comes dishing out money. It is very ironic that the Comrades in Corruption in government have to hire consultants to do their jobs… and of course many of those consultants are linked in the chain of corruption in that spills over into the private sector.

BUT WHAT WILL THE UDM DO DIFFERENTLY?

A UDM government shall take the necessary steps to ensure that the following six, critical objectives should be met to turn this province around, they are to:

1. Address the democracy dividend deficiency in the Eastern Cape, so that it becomes a model province in terms of all development goals.

2. Make the Eastern Cape one of the key economic growth areas in the country, so that it becomes the 4th fastest growing economy in South Africa by 2019.

3. Improve the quality of life of the poorest in the province, by bringing essential public services closer to the people and;

Also to increase the capacity of all institutions that provide those services, such as healthcare, educational opportunities, food production and security and local employment opportunities.

4. Turn around the performance of provincial government, but in particular the departments of health and education.

5. Provide effective local governance by employing qualified people, with the right skills-sets, in the right places. Proper planning, the appropriate use of resources and performance management and monitoring are key issues.

6. The celebration of corruption, which has somehow developed in a competition to see who outsmarts whom, must be brought to an end.

We will therefore implement policies that ensure that the best talented, properly trained and competent persons are appointed; in other words, political deployment will become a thing of the past.

Should you be interested, we will make the detailed information on how we will go about reaching these six goals.

CONCLUSION

We cannot afford to sit with our arms folded whilst the majority of our people live in abject poverty – future generations will judge us harshly, because we let things slide on our watch.

The UDM members and supporters must hit the ground running.

Go out there, paint the Eastern Cape in UDM yellow! Speak to the people and spread the gospel of the UDM.

To all of the leaders, party members and people who form part of our campaign teams across the length and breadth of the Eastern Cape, thank you for your commitment thus far.

We must now change gears because time is running out!

7 May is around the corner!

Good luck in your campaigning.

Thank you