2018 Archive Archives - United Democratic Movement | UDM

UDM’s New Year’s message

Mr Bantu Holomisa, MPUDM President In 2018 South Africa saw the pressure exerted by opposition parties, over the past three years, culminating in the resignation of a self-serving and negligent president. Our unwavering insistence led to commissions of inquiry being instituted to start rooting out the cancer of institutional corruption in government. Notwithstanding the ruling party’s leadership moving in the right direction, there is an unwillingness to have the perpetrators of corruption [...]

Admin2019-01-09T14:17:04+02:00December 30th, 2018|2018 Archive, 2019 Election Campaign, Bantu Holomisa, Home, Interviews, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

Clifton Beach Incident

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) needs to account for what happened in Clifton beach on Sunday, 23 December 2018, when a paramilitary private security company, Professional Protective Alternatives (PPA) acted unlawfully by asking holiday makers to leave the beach after eight in the evening. Whatever their reasoning, short of an emergency situation, this was a clear contravention of the National Enviromental Management: Integrated Costal Management (ICM) Act 36 of 2014. From media reports and [...]

Admin2018-12-30T11:59:12+02:00December 28th, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

UDEMWO welcomes appointment of new NDPP boss

Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) welcomes the appointment of Advocate Shamila Batohi as the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). We strongly believe that her appointment is based on merit, as well as her hard work and dedication she has shown in the justice field. Her track record speaks for itself. The NDPP desperately needed a person of such calibre to head the unit and [...]

Admin2018-12-05T12:30:25+02:00December 5th, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Justice|Comments Off

Sexual abuse of children living with disability

Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General As the world this week marked the international day for persons living with disabilities, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) is extremely worried about the continued abuse of children living with disabilities in special schools across the country. The recent revelations, of sexual abuse of children living with disabilities, made by SABC 1 current affairs programme, Cutting Edge, send chills down the spine. The programme showed that child [...]

Admin2018-12-05T11:31:33+02:00December 5th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bongani Msomi, Home, Media statements: UDM, Social development and welfare, Women's Issues, Youth Issues|Comments Off

GEPF’s R7,4 billion write-offs are shocking

The United Democratic Movement noted with disbelief, the Government Employees Pension Fund’s (GEPF) write-offs amounting to R7,4 billion for the 2017/2018 financial year. These write-offs are of direct consequence of some of the Public Investment Corporation’s (PIC) most controversial deals such as investments in Steinhoff/Lancaster 101, as well as with companies controlled by Iqbal Surve. All of which happened under the management of former PIC boss, Dr Dan Matjila. Something is rotten in the state [...]

Admin2018-12-04T11:08:38+02:00December 4th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bantu Holomisa, Corruption and clean governance, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

Mendi Msimang: Rest in peace our struggle hero

Mr Bantu Holomisa, MPUDM President A tribute by Mr Bantu Holomisa The nation is mourning the painful death of yet another son of the soil, uTata Mendi Msimang. He was cut from the same cloth as the founding president of our democracy, Tata Madiba and of the same generation of people like the great Tata Walter Sisulu. Ntate Msimang distinguished himself in the fight for a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and a prosperous [...]

Admin2018-12-03T13:52:47+02:00December 3rd, 2018|2018 Archive, Bantu Holomisa, Home, Tributes|Comments Off

Aids Day 2018: a message to South Africans

Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General As South Africa and the world mark another Aids Day tomorrow, it is comforting to know that many lives have been saved through access to antiretroviral treatment. It is however heart-wrenching that the number of people infected has escalated from 4,25 million in 2002 to 7,52 million in 2018. In as much as we have seen the decline in AIDS-related deaths between 2007 and 2018 of more [...]

Admin2018-11-30T14:54:36+02:00November 30th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bongani Msomi, Health, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

Holomisa at the 5th RENAPRI stakeholder conference: speaking notes on Unlocking the economic potential of land through good governance

Speaking Notes by Mr BH Holomisa, (MP) and UDM President 5th RENAPRI STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE: Unlocking the economic potential of land through good governance 28 – 29 November 2018, Zanzibar, Tanzania • Chairperson • Fellow panellists • Ladies and gentlemen 1. Land itself at the crux of the matter: the South African example As many of you will be aware, we in South Africa are in the middle of a heated national debate on land [...]

Admin2018-11-28T09:44:47+02:00November 28th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bantu Holomisa, Home, Land, Speeches|Comments Off

Why is Services SETA strike not resolved?

Mr Bantu Holomisa, MPUDM President The United Democratic Movement (UDM) calls on higher education minister Naledi Pandor and Cosatu to step up to the plate in resolving the Nehawu strike that is dragging on at the Services SETA. As we know there are several reasons for the strike action, including alleged corruption, maladministration and mismanagement by the board. Minister Pandor must take everyone into confidence and explain why there has been no action [...]

Admin2018-11-26T10:56:08+02:00November 26th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bantu Holomisa, Home|Comments Off

President Ramaphosa’s “cabinet changes” is a damp squib

The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard is of the view that President Ramaphosa’s new dawn is a copy and paste of the old order and thus have abandoned the youth of South Africa with his so-called cabinet change. He has showed the country a lack of conviction by retaining figures such as Nomvula Mokonyane who has shown her incapability as communications minister with the disastrous handling of the public broadcaster. Mokonyane’s shift to environmental [...]

Admin2018-11-22T17:24:09+02:00November 22nd, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Media statements: UDMYV|Comments Off

UDM on NMU student involved in fatal stabbing

Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General We are shocked at reports of the arrest of a 23-year-old Nelson Mandela University student, Athenkosi Zenani, who allegedly stabbed a man to death in self-defence after two Tanzanian men tried to apparently rob him and his friends. We have noted that he has since been released on bail. We too frequently see our justice system fail and leave those who are the victims of crime to their [...]

Admin2018-11-21T13:35:36+02:00November 21st, 2018|2018 Archive, Bongani Msomi, Home, Safety and Security|Comments Off

UDM Youth Vanguard welcomes change in public service regulations

Our unemployed and despondent young people have become a mere statistic to measure joblessness in South Africa. They have given up and are lining the streets of our communities with their qualifications meaning nothing, because they have no experience. The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard therefore welcomes public service and administration minister Ayanda Dlodlo's decision to change regulations to allow for the recruitment, at all entry-level posts in the public service, without prior experience. [...]

Admin2018-11-20T10:46:00+02:00November 20th, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Media statements: UDMYV, Youth Issues|Comments Off

UDMYV welcomes Malusi Gigaba’s resignation

Malusi Gigaba’s terms in office has been fraught with scandals, misconduct and abuse of powers. His list of dubious deeds ranging from granting citizenship to the Guptas, the Firebird aviation debacle, sexual videos and lying under oath is spine chilling. His resignation is long overdue. That said, merely falling on one’s sword is not good enough. We hope that this is not just a stunt to run away and avoid accountability. The United Democratic Movement [...]

Admin2018-11-13T18:10:30+02:00November 13th, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Media statements: UDMYV|Comments Off

Increase in municipal managers’ salaries immoral

Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General It is upsetting that, during a time where the country is battling a high unemployment rate and other negative economic factors, municipal managers and those directly reporting to them will receive pay hikes. The United Democratic Movement condemns this immoral decision in the strongest possible terms. This is a total insult to all South Africans who continue to feel the pinch. We do not see the need for [...]

Admin2018-11-21T13:27:13+02:00November 13th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bongani Msomi, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

8 years is not enough for Uitenhage rapist dad

Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is pleased to see that it is true that “ityala aliboli”. The sentencing of the retired Salvation Army captain, Lionel Potgieter, who raped his daughter since an early age is a typical example. In as much as he finally got what he deserved, eight years is not enough. Chantel was viciously abused and tortured for six years during her formative years. [...]

Admin2018-11-06T13:20:01+02:00November 6th, 2018|2018 Archive, Home, Media statements: UDEMWO, Thandi Nontenja, Women's Issues, Youth Issues|Comments Off

Bobani’s bank account inspected, says attorney

Mr Bantu Holomisa, MPUDM President The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has noted that Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Executive Mayor Mongameli Bobani’s attorneys, Danie Gouws Attorneys, have, after inspecting his bank accounts, found that there is nothing untoward in his personal bank account or that he received any kind of irregular payment/s from Heerkos Projects. The allegations made in the media, in particular The Herald, pertain to the NMB Integrated Public Transport System [...]

Admin2018-11-04T15:37:52+02:00November 4th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bantu Holomisa, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off

Increased fatalities on SA roads not acceptable

The high number of fatalities on our roads over the past few weeks is disturbing. What is of greater concern is that these accidents happened during Transport Month, which amongst others, was looking at curbing road fatalities. Year on year far too many travellers do not reach their destinations and as people gear up for the festive season we hope that this year’s statistics will show a decline in accidents and fatalities. The United [...]

Admin2018-10-30T09:11:14+02:00October 30th, 2018|2018 Archive, Bongani Msomi, Home, Media statements: UDM, Transport|Comments Off

UDM KwaZulu-Natal calls for Endumeni municipal manager to resign or to be suspended with immediate effect

After our media statement of 23 October 2018 regarding deeply concerning issues in the Endumeni Municipality in the uMzinyathi District, the United Democratic Movement in KwaZulu Natal were given explosive documents that should make the Endumeni municipal manager’s life very uncomfortable. The documents contain damning proof of the municipal manager 's gross negligence and/or corruption by improperly and irregularly signing a contract worth R 969 000, which he has since tried to nullify by withdrawing [...]

Admin2018-10-25T15:12:20+02:00October 25th, 2018|2018 Archive, Corruption and clean governance, Home, Media statements: UDM|Comments Off