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12 Dec, 2015
Address by Bantu Holomisa, MP delivered at UDM 5th National Congress In Bloemfontein
Honoured guests, members, viewers at home, ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to stand in front of you today, on behalf of the National Leadership, to report to back to you on our performance over the past five years. Chairperson, You will recall that the UDM was established at a time when the climate was not conducive to the formation of opposition parties in South Africa. As a result, we lost many comrades, such as our first Secretary General, Sifiso Nkabinde and others, through assassinations during this period. We should give ourselves a big round of applause for remaining dedicated and steadfast in the project of building a strong UDM that is a Political Home for All against overwhelming odds. We have also lost many comrades since the 2010 Congress. Included in this list, is our late Deputy President, Professor Ntopile Kganyago, among others. Fellow South Africans, We also gather here today just over two years since our struggle icon, Tata Nelson Mandela passed away. When the struggle against injustice required leaders to stand up against overwhelming odds, Madiba was at the forefront. For me, and indeed for most of us, Madiba was a beacon of hope. That history is known to all. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to request that we all stand and observe a moment of silence in honour of all these great men and women. May their Souls Rest in eternal Peace! Chairperson, We meet here today on the occasion of the UDM 5th National Congress since the UDM’s inception and after we have just celebrated 18 years of our existence. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all party structures, in particular the outgoing executive for their sterling contribution in building the UDM over the past five years. The incoming executive will have the responsibility to take thins movement, which includes the reviewing of UDM policies. I also wish to thank our staff members both at National Office and provincial levels for their professional help and support. I am pleased to inform you that in line with our Constitution, we have held our elective congresses after every five years. This means we have never failed in our commitment to make democracy work within our own organisation. This meeting of the highest decision making body of our organisation provides us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the road we have travelled. We should therefore spend the next two days doing some serious introspection and developing a clear programme of action on how to take the party forward, as proposed in our 2021 Ascendancy Profile. There are clear indications on the ground that the party is growing, as we regularly welcome new people to the party. We should go out of our way to make new members feel at home and make use of their skills and expertise in party building. The Ascendancy Profile proposes strategies on how to market ourselves and the best ways of reviving and strengthening our associate structures, such as Women, the Youth and Students. To achieve the goals and objectives of this Plan, we will need strong leadership and discipline at all levels. To facilitate deliberations on the state of the organisation, state of the nation and our manifesto for the Local Government Elections, we have included all these documents in your packs. You will recall that this Congress adopted these documents yesterday. Our Congress theme is: SAVE SOUTH AFRICA: Live the dream. We chose this theme because of the overwhelming evidence that in the ruling party government “things are falling part, and the centre cannot hold.” Economic mismanagement, corruption, crime, lawlessness and arrogance of power are the order of the day. With this theme, we are therefore saying the power to save South Africa from the ruling party’s misrule and to change the status quo is in your hands. Fellow South Africans, Yesterday marked the end of the campaign on 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. We are proud of the contribution our members have made during this campaign in helping to build communities that are safe for our women and children. We wish to reconfirm our solidarity and commitment to the elimination of violence against women and children. Colleagues, There is a phrase that has become a mantra of the ruling party: “legacy of Apartheid”. There is nobody among the thousands gathered here today, or the many more viewers at home, that cannot easily identify the scars that Apartheid has left upon our country. But when did Apartheid become a valid excuse for the failures of the current government? Surely we do not need to accept mediocrity, incompetence and corruption, simply because it is inflicted by a democratic government instead of a repressive regime. I fact, quite the opposite; we should be striving for the highest standards. We should have a government that reaches for the ideals embodied in the Constitution. Instead, we find ourselves having to cope with the ANC’s misrule, which undermines the dream of building a better life for all. Literally thousands of public protests occur every year across the country. The vast majority of these are by communities frustrated by 20 years of broken promises over basic services like water and sanitation. It is clear that more and more people are becoming disillusioned with the ruling party’s misrule. When the Youth march into the grounds of Parliament, and protest in their tens of thousands at the Union Buildings demanding free education, it is clear what they think of this government’s failures. From where we are sitting, it is clear that the ruling party lacks the political will to implement its 1994 election promise of free education. Instead, they use every means possible to brutally suppress protests by sending in the police. To make matters worse, the ruling party government prioritises elite projects such as e-tolls and trillion Rand nuclear deals over the needs of the people. This means that the already overburdened taxpayer is being asked to foot the bill for unnecessary and wasteful projects, which are laced with corruption. To say that we, as a nation, deserve better, is an understatement of the century. We need a growing economy that creates jobs in order to end poverty and restore human dignity. And yet, we are saddled with economic policy that does exactly the opposite. Our economy needs to be stimulated and nurtured, with the state playing a decisive role in order to address past imbalances and backlogs. This can be done by investing in small business development, among other things. It is important to remember that no meaningful empowerment of the people can occur without first addressing the lack of access to land for the majority citizens as well as the lack of access to capital. It is for this reason that the UDM believes that South Africa needs to convene an Economic Indaba to develop a blue print for our country’s economy. This Indaba must be similar in scale and scope to the CODESA negotiations, which resolved the basic political direction of our country. Like CODESA, it must include all the stakeholders in society, so that we can loosen the stranglehold of the ruling elite and their dubious consultants. We can no longer trust the ruling party with the running of our economy. For proof, one needs to look no further than President Zuma’s reckless and irresponsible decision to remove Minister Nene and the impact that decision has had on our economy. The danger posed to society by climate change worsens the bleak picture I have sketched above. For instance, today we are facing the worst drought in this country. While this is the state of the nation in brief, we must attend to the ways in which each of us can help to turn this situation around. We are gathered here on the eve of the local government elections. At this Congress we are also launching the UDM election manifesto under the theme: “Put Community First.” However, let me hasten to add that this manifesto serves as a guide. From here, you need to go to your localities and develop manifestos that speak to the challenges facing your communities. For us this represents one of the ways in which we can unite and steer our country back in the right direction. The forthcoming election is our opportunity to demonstrate on a local level that there are solutions to the challenges that face us. United in our desire to create better villages, towns and cities, we can light the way and show which policies should be applied nationally. We have it within our power to effect changes that will result in genuine improvements in the lives of all South Africans. There is one thing that we can all agree on: change is necessary! In this election you are not simply choosing between one political party and another. You can choose another five years of the same old discredited policies and poor service delivery, or you can choose change for the better. Some will claim much has been done in the past 20 years. But we look at reality and know that many of these accomplishments are overstated. For instance, when the ANC government claims to have built more houses, they should admit that more people have badly-built houses. And when the ANC government claims to have provided more services, they should admit that more people are receiving bad and unreliable services. When they claim to have built more infrastructure like roads, they should admit that it is mostly just more tolls and more potholes. To add insult to injury elite projects, like the E-tolls, funnel our taxpayers’ money out of the country. We should be reaching for the highest goals to give expression to the spirit of the Constitution. We must aim to build a country that unleashes its vast potential where each person irrespective of race, gender, class or geography has the opportunity and indeed, the calling! to contribute to a thriving prosperous nation. To build a nation like no other. This local government election is our chance to show that it can be done. Starting in the streets where we live, we can build something greater, something better, to improve the lives of our families and loved ones. As a voter, it is up to you to set a new agenda. You have the power to say what are the real priorities; as opposed to the elite projects such as speed trains, automated tolling, etc. which contribute nothing to your life and only enrich the politically-connected. It is time to PUT COMMUNITY FIRST by prioritising service delivery and removing the politicians and parties standing in the way of that. Once and for all we need to firmly establish the principle that our elected councillors are there to serve the community and not the other way around. All of us pay municipal rates, but in return most of us do not receive the services that are rightfully ours. We have so much work to do, the need is great. But we can do this, we can rise above the current disaster in local government. Let us vote for a party and councillors dedicated to joining hands with their communities. Let us start now, instead of waiting another 5 years. In many municipalities the potholes outnumber the streetlamps. It is up to you, as a voter, to demonstrate your unhappiness with incompetent and corrupt councillors and councils. I give you my personal assurance that if we find any UDM councillors who are failing to deliver, they will be swiftly removed. Other political parties may tolerate corrupt and incompetent councillors, but the UDM does not. I believe that the UDM, and the councillors we are fielding in these elections, provide you with champions for your cause. Our overriding purpose is to serve and PUT COMMUNITY FIRST. The UDM seeks to bring about positive change and improve the quality of life in those wards and municipalities where our councillors are elected. This manifesto introduces you to our thinking on the core principles of how local government should PUT COMMUNITY FIRST. We are eager to meet you, at rallies or within your living rooms, to explain to you, in greater detail, our values and how we intend to serve you in your municipality. Ultimately your UDM councillor is your voice in local government; a person that consults with the community to determine your needs, and then champions your cause in the council. I thank you.
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13 May, 2014
Elections 2014 – Thank you to UDM supporters and members for hard work
Dear All Thank you for your support and votes in the National and Provincial elections on May 7th. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all the United Democratic Movement (UDM) members and leaders. We have all had the opportunity to meet so many amazing, progressive people throughout this campaign period, I hope that each and every one of you stays in touch and stays involved. I can confirm that the UDM has been allocated two seats from the National List [10th] and two seats from the Regional List to National in Eastern Cape, making the total of four seats in the National Assembly. We also qualify for a seat of a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). In total the UDM will have five Public Representatives represented in Cape Town. Looking at the UDM candidates who will be sworn-in in the National Assembly we were challenged when it comes to gender balancing. In the last five years we have been coming under heavy criticism in the House because the UDM did not have a female representative. Mr Lennox Gaehler who is one of the candidates will voluntarily go to the NCOP and accommodate a woman candidate in the National Assembly (Ms Cynthia Majeke). Let’s continue to build the movement. I have faith in the Party and faith in the people of South Africa especially UDM members. Yours in Party building, Mr BJ Msomi UDM Secretary General
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06 May, 2014
UDM Siyabulela Rally – address by UDM President, Mr Bantu Holomisa
• UDM Leaders from all across South Africa • UDM public representatives • Citizens of the Eastern Cape • The people of my hometown, Mthatha, and • My fellow South Africans 1.WELCOME AND THANK YOU TO ALL UDM ACTIVISTS Before we get into the politics and issues of Elections 2014, I want to welcome you all and quickly say something about teamwork. Many of you might not be familiar with the name Vince Lombardi. He was a legend in American football and had astounding success as a coach. He was an expert on teamwork. In honour of our election teams, I quote Mr Lombardi: “The achievements of an organisation are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” The United Democratic Movement (UDM) says: thank you, realeboga, dankie, and siyabulela to each individual who: • distributed flyers or hung posters, • represented the UDM on radio and television interviews, • spent weekends spreading the gospel of the UDM, and • dedicated the past months to this organisation we all love. 2. THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 2.1. THE PAST On 15 August 1985, PW Botha gave his infamous “Rubicon” speech. There was much hope pinned on him to announce big changes to the policies of apartheid. To say that he disappointed us, is a colossal understatement. Fortunately we were blessed with people who fought for our freedom. They were principled individuals who never faltered in their cause; who were willing to make an enormous sacrifice for our freedom at their personal expense. [You might want to use fewer examples – names are alphabetically listed according to surname] We think of, amongst others, Helen Joseph, Chris Hani, Albert Luthuli, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Robert Sobukwe, Desmond Tutu and of course in 1990 the Father of our Freedom, Mr Nelson Mandela, walked out of Victor Verster prison a free man. The Eastern Cape takes a proud place in this history. In almost every town and remote rural areas you can find traces of the heroes and heroines who made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom. FW de Klerk followed Botha’s rule and during the early nineties we at last felt the winds of change. In 1994 we, at last, crossed the “Rubicon”. We recently celebrated 20 years of our new democracy. It is remarkable that we came so far in such a short time. We will never forget the oppression of the past. It serves as a reminder to never allow that history to be repeated. 2.2. THE PRESENT The tragedy of the last years of ANC rule is that this nation is sinking deeper into the quagmire of corruption, poor service delivery, maladministration and no regard for the rule of law. Our hard won liberties are systematically being destroyed with the socio-economic circumstances of our people making it impossible to protect the gains of our freedom. It is even worse that institutionalised corruption has reached the highest office in the country. We are led by a man who refuses to be held accountable and whose vocabulary extends to one phrase: I did not know. In addition, the executives (nationally and provincially) practice corruption as a sport – where one strives to best the other in a game where taxpayers’ money is misused. They are shameless. The ruling elite’s arrogance is a slap in the face of a nation. They cavort around, whilst many people go to bed hungry; our children receive a second-hand education and our townships, as well as villages, belong in a 3rd world country. In particular, the Eastern Cape is heavily under-budgeted. The infrastructure of the two homelands – and the townships in the province – was never brought on par with the developed one we inherited in 1994. A description of the current state of affairs; amongst others, includes: • The people in the province have become accustomed to mediocre schooling and results. • Dilapidated hospitals have become places of death. • Municipal administrations are rife with corruption and tenderpreneurship. • The industrial hubs in Butterworth, Ezibeleni, Dimbaza and Fort Jackson have perished or are following suit. • This province was the granary of Southern Africa, but agriculture was allowed to systematically wane and this threatens food security. • Roads are in disrepair, electrification and water supply are erratic and in some places non-existent. • Respect and power of traditional leaders are almost non-existent. The ANC of today has forgotten the values of the Freedom Charter. They have abandoned the original agenda, which is to improve the lives of all South Africans. 2.3. THE FUTURE The obvious question is: Are things so bad that we might as well throw in the towel? The UDM emphatically says NO! We believe that it is not too late to turn the situation around. 3. THE FUTURE – WHAT ARE THE UDM’s PLANS FOR THE EASTERN CAPE? Should I, as the UDM’s candidate for premiership in the Eastern Cape, be given the opportunity to govern, the following critical objectives shall be on the agenda for change: 3.1. Addressing the democracy dividend deficiency in the Eastern Cape so that it becomes a model province in terms of all development goals. 3.2. Turning the province into a key economic growth area so that it becomes the 4th fastest growing economy in South Africa by 2019. 3.3. Bringing essential services closer to the people and increasing the capacity the institutions that provide those services such as healthcare and education, as well as programmes that ensure food security and local employment. 3.4. Turning around the performance of provincial government – in particular the departments of health and education. 3.5. Providing effective governance by employing the right people, with the right skills, in the right places. Ensuring proper short and long-term planning, the appropriate use of resources as well as managing performance and monitoring. 3.6. A zero tolerance for corruption and not employing people for political reasons and/or their association to our party. 4. THE FUTURE – OUR PLANS FOR SOUTH AFRICA 4.1. We will promote good governance and the separation of the powers of government, legislatures and the judiciary. 4.2. A UDM government will do more and invest in our economy. We will: • implement checks and balances to ensure that taxpayers’ money is not wasted and take speedy action against corrupt government officials. • ensure that our people, especially in rural areas, have access to passable roads, electricity, irrigation and reticulation as well as a functioning railway network. • provide a conducive environment for our people, especially the youth, to become entrepreneurs and creators of wealth. 4.3. The UDM will ensure quality education and • go back to the basics i.e. teachers must teach and learners must learn. • translate the large education budget into quality education that produces school-leavers and graduates that are equipped with job related and life skills. 4.4. One of our main priorities is food security and rural development. The UDM will: • use agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, to create jobs and generate wealth. • prioritise the needs of farmers, emerging and commercial alike, by developing policies that enable them to compete against their international counterparts. 4.5. A UDM government will make quality health care a priority and bring services closer to communities, improve on emergency response; provide necessary supplies and equipment, as well as maintain hospitals and clinics. 4.6. Regarding safety and security, a UDM government will: • restore civil order and develop a doctrine for the police service to function in line with our constitution’s values. • enhance coordination between the ministries and departments of justice, the police and correctional services, as well as defence and national intelligence. • We will champion the environment and teach our people of climate change, water scarcity and energy, so that they – and future generations – become partners of a UDM government in protecting our natural heritage. 4.7. The UDM will bring about electoral reform by: • introducing a mix of a constituency and proportional representation system where politicians are accountable to the people. • changing electoral laws so that we elect our president directly – instead of a ruling party foisting a president on the people. 5. CONCLUSION An annual South African Social Attitudes Survey, done by the Human Sciences Research Council, showed that 66% of South Africans believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction. Why then do people want to again vote for the ANC? Open your eyes and punish the ANC for its cavalier attitude and callously risking our futures and the prosperity South Africa. It is time for us to cross another “Rubicon”. This Wednesday will give voters the opportunity to affect such a change. This is your country. Take charge and vote UDM! Thank you
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06 May, 2014
Parties and their voting agents must be extra vigilant – Elections 2014
To: Leaders of Political Parties From: Bantu Holomisa (Chairperson of the Multi-Party Forum and UDM President) Subject: PARTIES AND THEIR VOTING AGENTS MUST BE EXTRA VIGILANT Dear Colleagues We have already heard reports about transgressions and other misdeeds of some party agents and officials of the Independent Electoral Commission. We must now, more than ever, be vigilant and have our party agents work as a collective to ensure that the election at each voting station is held to the highest standards. We too have a responsibility to ensure that no aspersions can be cast on the validity of the results and that Elections 2014 were indeed free and fair. Amongst other, we should specifically be heedful of the following, that: Party agents stand firmly on their rights to observe every aspect of the voting process. Once it arrives at voting stations, election material has not been tampered with. Ballot booklets (and therefore ballot papers) should be checked before voting starts. Once voting stations close and ballots are counted, the number of used ballots (valid and spoilt) and unused ballots should tally with the original count. Ballot boxes are assembled in front of party agents and are sealed once full. The ink at each voting station is truly indelible and cannot be removed – it will be important that each new applicator is checked. Voters who enter the voting station do not already have ink on any of their fingers. It is in our interest to ensure that we safeguard our democracy by satisfying ourselves that each step in the voting process is monitored and that no untoward influence is exerted in any fashion. Good luck to you all Bantu Holomisa UDM President Chairperson: Multi-Party Forum
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27 Apr, 2014
Freedom Day message and address at Elections 2014 Rally in Fochville
• National Office Bearers of the UDM • UDM Gauteng Provincial, Regional and Branch Leaders • UDM members and supporters • My fellow South Africans THANK YOU AND WELCOME I would not be standing here, if not for the hard work of the election teams of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the province. You should feel proud of your efforts. Enkosi. Today we celebrate the first 20 years of our democracy. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is proud to be part of this history. We have made a tangible difference in steering this nation in the right direction; consistently exposing corruption and advocating for honest, conscientious and transparent government. We sometimes forget that it is extraordinary that we have come so far in such a short time. Although we will never forget how oppressive this society was, we also need to focus on the next 20 years and the 20 years thereafter and so on. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR DEMOCRACY Today marks the first day of the next phase of that democracy. It would not be an overstatement to say that 7 May 2014 is nearly as important as the 27 April 1994. We again stand at the precipice of change and we must not lie to ourselves – it is time for change. We cannot allow the country to slide further down this slippery slope of corruption, maladministration and ineptitude. We can choose to continue on this path or have the sense and moral fortitude to take our responsibility as voters seriously. Poverty and corruption destroys the gains of our freedom. Disrespect for the rule of law destroys the gains of our freedom. There is no getting around these facts. The ANC is to blame and you should hold it accountable. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW Disrespect for the rule of law, as exhibited by our executive, as well as institutionalised corruption have a direct bearing on South Africa’s downgrading on international ratings, which in turn negatively impacts investor confidence – so the vicious cycle continues. In this regard the UDM commits itself to promote a culture of good governance and respect of the separation of powers of government, the legislatures and the judiciary. THE ECONOMY – A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL The UDM believes that meaningful government intervention is needed to ensure economic growth. This means that we need good roads; an efficient rail network; electrification, provision of water, irrigation and reticulation in areas where people live and businesses operate. There has been much talk about the nationalisation of mines. Tensions raised to a boiling point, which resulted in great instability, not only amongst mineworkers and their employers, but it also negatively impacted on South Africa as an investment destination. A UDM government commits itself to: • Use a manageable budget deficit and government debt to create jobs and stimulate the economy. • Implement checks and balances to ensure that taxpayer’s money is not wasted and action is taken against corrupt government employees. • Ensure that our people, especially in rural areas, have access to passable roads, electricity, water and a fully-fledged railway network. • Initiate opportunities for young South Africans by radically reducing the red-tape that stifles entrepreneurship. • Make mining one of the major points of discussion at the Economic Indaba which the UDM proposes. EDUCATION AS THE STEPPING STONE OF DEMOCRACY An educated citizen is a national asset. In order for our education system to produce graduates with the necessary expertise for the job market, a UDM government commits itself to invest the education budget into the improvement of infrastructure, training of teachers and their career growth. Further, our policy and curriculum will be consistent and always in synch with the socio-economic imperatives of the country. FEEDING A NATION It is unimaginable that we, in this day and age, have people who go to sleep hungry and wake up hungry. South Africa was once the bread basket of this region, but the incumbent government has let our rural economy slide into the abyss. A UDM government commits itself to: • Use agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, create jobs and generate wealth – especially in rural areas. • Prioritise the needs of commercial and emerging farmers by developing policies that will level the playing field, to allow them to compete against their international counterparts. KEEPING OUR PEOPLE IN A GOOD STATE OF HEALTH A healthy citizen is a productive citizen and, therefore, a vehicle for economic development. Unfortunately, our public healthcare is in the I.C.U. and cannot deliver. A UDM government commits itself to improving the country’s national healthcare system by building more clinics and hospitals. We shall improve facilities, services, ensure availability of medicines and medical supplies. We shall ensure that the system responds effectively to communicable diseases and substance abuse. Medical practitioners shall be well trained and compensated. CRIME PREVENTION For many years the ruling party has refused to acknowledge the magnitude of the crime crisis facing South Africa. There is no synergy between the various partners in the justice cluster i.e. intelligence, police, the courts and correctional services. A world-class nation can only exist in a productive and safe environment that encourages enterprises to flourish whilst attracting local and foreign investments. A UDM government commits itself to: • Restore civil order and develop a doctrine to ensure that the police functions in line with our constitutional values. • Enhance coordination between the departments of justice, police, correctional service, defence and national intelligence. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU? The choice is yours – you can allow our country to continue on the same downward path or… you must do something different. Simple. Should you make your mark for the UDM, you can be assured that we will send a team of people to government that have your concerns at heart. CONCLUSION In ten days we will go to the polling stations to make our mark in favour of the political party of our choice. You have an opportunity to bring change to your lives. To bring that change, vote UDM! Thank you
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26 Apr, 2014
National and Provincial Elections 2014
Message from UDM President Bantu HolomisaMy fellow South Africans2014 is an auspicious year, as South Africans mark 20 years of freedom.The Bill of Rights ensures that all the citizens of our beautiful country have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Our dignity has been restored and we enjoy freedom and security of our person. We can live where we want to. No one is denied access to establishments based on colour. We all have the right to basic education; to speak our own languages, freedom of religion and celebrate our diverse cultures.These liberties, as enshrined in the country’s constitution, which were hard won are being destroyed by corruption. To compound matters the socio-economic circumstances of our people make it very difficult to safeguard the gains of our freedom.The United Democratic Movement (UDM) seeks to address these basic deficiencies and also empower our people and transform South Africa into a Winning Nation. If one looks at our economy one cannot deny that, amongst others, job creation and poverty are interlinked. The UDM believes that job creation is the ultimate weapon to combat poverty, but this goal will not be realised if our economy is not managed properly. Government has a must intervene to protect our economy and South African jobs when necessary. Meaningful government intervention is needed to ensure economic growth. This necessarily means, for instance, that our roads should be passable; an efficient rail network should be in place; the electrification, water, irrigation and reticulation of communities and business should be high on government’s agenda. Regarding our macro-economic policy, there is still no consensus on how South Africa can transform its economy in a manner that creates wealth and improves the fortunes of the disadvantaged majority. South Africa already finds itself on the same path as our sister nations on the African continent that have failed their citizens. Disrespect of the rule of law, as exhibited by our executive, as well institutionalised corruption, has a direct bearing on South Africa’s downgrading on international ratings, which in turn negatively impact on investor confidence. The symbiotic relationships between political parties and their so-called “investment arms” (such as the ANC and Chancellor House Holdings) erodes private sector confidence. It is an unfortunate fact that South Africa is steadily sinking deeper in the quagmire of corruption. What makes matters worse is that these acts of corruption keep reaching new heights and they happen with greater frequency. A case in point is, during the infrastructure development in preparation of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, service providers inflated their prices to make a greater profit at the expense of the taxpayer. Citing another example, we were all shocked to learn that Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), which had a good international reputation, could be embroiled in corruption and maladministration. In the final analyses; no one can dispute that: Corruption destroys the gains of our freedom! The obvious question that follows is: Are things so bad that we might as well throw in the towel? The UDM emphatically says NO! As much as the situation in which we find ourselves might be discouraging and bleak, the UDM firmly believes that it is not too late for us to turn things around. There is so much untapped potential in our country and her people that we cannot, and should not, let go of the dream of prosperous nation. In this manifesto the UDM makes a number of constructive suggestions to address some of the burning issues we face as a nation – for greater detail on our policies please visit our website www.udm.org.za. As you read through this manifesto, remind yourself that you, the voter, have the power to make the dream of a prosperous South Africa a reality. We need a government that puts South Africa and her people first. We deserve a government that will really take South Africa forward. Vote UDM! Thank you Bantu Holomisa Good Governance Rule of law is a system on which a proper government should be based as it guards against the abuse of power and allows innovation and the economy to flourish. As an indictment of our government, the Institute for Accountability unequivocally stated that, since 1994, the reason for poverty in South Africa is directly attributable to, “the theft” of R700-billion. The Institute further stated that government in fact had the resources necessary to uplift 11 million citizens from abject poverty – see http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/01/27/corruption-is-killing-the-poor). The UDM sees corruption as one of the main contributors to unemployment, poverty, inequality and poor service delivery. Our people are so frustrated by their living conditions that their anger frequently boils over and instead of government listening to their concerns it dispatches the police. We cannot hope to effectively eradicate poverty without addressing “institutionalised corruption”. There are many examples, such as the E-tolling system; Travelgate; the Oilgate/PetroSA (Iraq) scandal; the deal involving Hitachi, Eskom and Chancellor House Holdings; the IEC and the South African Police Services’ lease agreement scandals; Guptagate and also of course Nkandlagate. Another typical example of the disregard of the rule of law is that, despite the fact that a court ordered the President of this country to hand over the so-called “spy tapes”, a government property, he refuses to do so. In yet another instance, cabinet chastised the Public Protector for simply fulfilling its mandate. This cancer of corruption has implicated many top leaders and officials (including the highest office in this country) and it has spilled over into the private sector. The brazen practice of corruption has the ruling party reeling from one scandal to the next. It has in fact reduced its promise to combat corruption to a joke. How perfectly timed was the arrival of the Information Bill just after the media had exposed a number of corruption scandals. Although the jury is still out, there seems to be general consensus that the Bill was introduced to hide evidence of corrupt practices. The tendency to appoint people with the “right political connections”, instead of those who have the right qualifications and/or skills, promote mediocrity. One sees many examples of this tendency when one looks at the corrupt and ineffective state owned enterprises (SOEs) that serve as a gravy train for the elite. To make matters worse, the situation has become more complicated with the tri-partite alliance leaders now fighting over state resources forgetting that this infighting erodes investor confidence and leaves our people living in squalor without basic services. A UDM Government commits itself to: promote a culture of good governance. respect the separation of powers of government, legislatures and the judiciary. develop a vetting process where persons nominated for positions in the executive are subjected scrutiny to establish their integrity and suitability to serve in a specific portfolio. restore proper relationships between politicians and officials; the current culture of political interference in the daily administration of government, causes bureaucratic chaos and fuels corruption and tender fraud. restore the powers of the accounting officers and ensure that there is no political interference. The role of political heads should be confined to oversight. introduce courts dedicated to handle cases of corruption; to swiftly eradicate corruption as demonstrated by the UDM’s track record of consistently and fearlessly exposing corruption. root out this culture where corruption is condoned and celebrated. conduct a skills audit to ascertain whether the right people are employed in the right posts and at the right levels. appoint government employees, leaders of the Chapter 9 Institutions and SOEs, based on merit, relevant knowledge and qualifications. review the current tender system that currently makes it possible for bribery and corruption to flourish. SA economy in context While the UDM acknowledges and appreciates the impact of the colonial and apartheid legacy on the South African economy, 20 years into our democracy there is clear verifiable evidence that poor policy choices, mismanagement, corruption and lack of visionary and imaginative intervention has negatively affected our economy. As a direct consequence, massive poverty, high unemployment (especially among the youth), growing inequality as well as shrinking productive manufacturing sector have become defining features of our economy. In recent years our global and continental competitiveness has been on the decline as reflected in most studies and surveys. The reality is that this country is fast becoming more of a welfare state than a developmental state with the swelling number of dependents on state-provided social security and diminishing productive sector of manufacturing and entrepreneurship. All this happens against the backdrop of escalating cost of living which puts a greater squeeze of economic hardship on the average citizen. As an answer to these challenges, the UDM has a carefully considered plan to stimulate and grow the South African economy for the benefit of all its citizens while remaining globally competitive. The economy and job creation Since 1994 the paradox of the South African economy has been a jobless growth, even when this country has had a sustained growth for ten years. Therefore the recent global financial crisis can never be used as an excuse for what is obviously a structural problem perpetuated by poor policy choices by the ruling party. The problem is twofold, slow economic growth to meet the increasing demands for employment and development as well as jobless growth even in the sectors that have registered significant growth. The ruling party has adopted policies that have failed to grow the South African economy at the rate required to create jobs. As a result, the average economic growth rate stands at a dismal 2.6% per annum compared to the other emerging markets and most African economies where average is between 6 and 8%. The official unemployment rate is 24.7%. This unemployment rate excludes those people who have given up looking for work. When this category is included in the overall measurement, the unemployment rate deteriorates to more than 35%, with youth the most affected. This presenting perfect conditions for social and political instability should this situation not be urgently addressed. In other words, nearly 7 million South Africans are unemployed due to the misguided policies of the ruling party. According to the 2014 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risk report, South Africa has the third highest youth unemployment rate in the world. It estimates that more than 50% of young South Africans are unemployed and this rises to above 70% in some rural communities and informal settlements. The growing service delivery protests and labour unrest are objective irrefutable indications of a growing crisis, with the state more frequently relying on violence and brute force as evidenced by the Marikana Massacre and many other situations in communities in the Northwest and Limpopo. The most painful irony is that the former liberation movement, that espoused egalitarian principles during the struggle years, now presides over the most grotesque and ever-worsening inequality. South Africa today has earned the dubious title of being one of the most unequal societies in the world even surpassing Brazil that has held this ignoble title for some time. This badge of dishonour is a direct consequence of corruption and policies that allow the rich to accumulate obscene levels of wealth in a vast ocean of material poverty of the majority of our citizens. This situation is made worse by the ruling party’s abuse of otherwise well-intended policies of empowerment such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and state tender policies that are twisted to enrich the politically connected cadres of the ruling party. The most dramatic and symbolic demonstration of the social distance between the ruling political elite and the people is the failure to review and make modest the ministerial handbook. Even in the face of global and local economic and financial crises they insist on parasitic preservation of their lifestyle using taxpayers’ money. Poor management of fiscus The ruling party often prides itself on its ability to maintain fiscal discipline. However, in the past five years South Africa’s fiscal position has deteriorated significantly due to the ruling party’s poor management of the economy and its failure to improve the country’s competitiveness. Nowhere is this loss of competitiveness more evident than in the current account deficit of 6% (R200 billion). In 2008, South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio was 23%, and it is projected to reach 39.3% in 2013/14 and 43.9% in 2016/17. In 2007/2008 South Africa had a budget surplus of 1.7%. This surplus declined to a budget deficit of 4.2% in 2013/14, which puts our country in the unenviable position of operating twin deficits on the expenditure side of the budget and the current account. It is clear that the ruling party has failed to properly manage our economy. It has also failed to close the gap between revenue and consumption and is therefore unfit to govern. Government has failed to create an environment that is conducive for foreign direct investment. Instead it insists on keeping the interest rates artificially high in order to attract portfolio investments that are fickle in nature. This however raises the cost of credit for ordinary South Africans. South Africa’s current cabinet is far too big to function effectively. Millions of taxpayers’ money is wasted on maintaining their opulent lifestyles with perks like fancy cars and luxury accommodation. Government departments waste billions of rands hiring service providers and consultants to start projects; they however do not even make the effort to monitor progress and establish whether the minimum requirements are met. Such service providers are paid in full without government inspecting the quality of their work. When international businesses seek to invest in our economy, they are “told” who their South African partners would be. A classic example would be the deal between Hitachi, Eskom and Chancellor House Holdings (the latter of course being the ruling party’s investment arm). This institutionalised corruption that makes potential investors think twice about investing in our economy. UDM plans for economic development and job creation After a careful analysis of South Africa’s economic challenges and opportunities, reinforced by comparative analysis of successful policies in other countries, the UDM has a practical realisable plan. The basic philosophy of the UDM is that “Government Must Do More”. While the UDM recognises the valuable role that markets should play, it is of the firm belief that government must play a key role in creating a stable policy environment and developing the economy for the benefit of our people. “Government Must Do More” means that a responsible government: cannot depend on market forces alone. cannot fail to decisively intervene in the economy whilst the quality of life of its citizens deteriorates, South Africans cannot find decent work, millions live in abject poverty and suffer because of underdevelopment. has to ensure that our political freedom translates into economic emancipation. A UDM government commits itself to: use a manageable budget deficit and government debt to create jobs and stimulate the economy. implement the necessary checks and balances to ensure that government (i.e. taxpayer’s) money is not wasted. streamline the cabinet by appointing fewer ministers as part of cutting costs. review the public sector wage bill. stop the over-utilisation of consultants by appointing competent staff. stop the current practice of appointing individuals, who did not make it as public representatives, as so-called “advisors”. standardise the value of perks (e.g. vehicles) across the board for ministers, deputy-ministers, directors general, mayors and traditional leaders, etc. take action against any government employee found guilty of corruption, instead of rewarding them with ambassadorial posts. Infrastructure development Well-targeted strategic infrastructure development is critical for the proper functioning of the economy. It is the cornerstone of sustainable social and economic development. The ruling party’s infrastructure development programme is not properly planned and fails to address past imbalances and backlogs. For instance, while government has budgeted and approved more than R800 billion over the next few years for infrastructure development, very little of this is allocated to rural areas and other previously disadvantaged communities in the townships, informal settlements and peri-urban areas. As a result, the infrastructure in these areas is in a state of disrepair. This causes people to migrate to large cities in search of better job prospects and better living conditions. Even as new infrastructure is being put in place there is a decay of the old infrastructure due to the lack of maintenance plans. In many parts of this country the only way to access service delivery requires that a citizen be a card-carrying member of a particular political party. A UDM government commits itself to: draft a “map of infrastructure development” with emphasis on transparency and closer cooperation between government and the people. invest in the economy through a properly planned infrastructure development programme and other large scale, government funded programmes that are community-driven and applies good environmental practice. empower communities by investing in the transfer of knowledge and skills to create jobs. ensure that South Africans have access to passable roads, electricity, water irrigation and reticulation as well as a railway network. allocate a significant amount of resources to infrastructure development in rural areas and previously disadvantaged communities e.g. build roads and dipping tanks, fence grazing lands and mealie fields and adequate sanitation. ensure proper consultation with the affected communities before projects are rolled out. eradicate the culture of rolling out infrastructure development and basic service delivery to people who belong to a certain political party. Small business development Development of small businesses has been accepted worldwide as the backbone of global economic growth and development while simultaneously creating more jobs. Small businesses in developed countries contribute more than 50% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in Asia they contribute around 40%. In South Africa, too little has been done to reduce the costs and administrative burden for existing small businesses. As a result, our small businesses contribute around 30% to the GDP. Ironically, government’s delayed or even non-payment to small businesses has contributed to their collapse. The UDM believes that a growth rate of 6 to 8% is required to reduce unemployment. To do this we need to unleash the creative spirit inherent in South Africans to create jobs. UDM also plans to reverse the trend of shrinking numbers of South Africans in the retail sector that is gradually being taken over by foreign nationals with little, if any, assistance provided to South Africans to compete effectively in this sector. A UDM government commits itself to: develop a policy that will ensure a fair system where entrepreneurs and small business owners, from inside and outside of South Africa, can do business harmoniously. do more to promote small business development to ensure that our citizens become wealth creators rather than employment seekers. introduce capacity building and training programmes for aspirant and existing entrepreneurs as a way to encourage people to start new businesses and to improve the competitiveness of existing ones. identify and remove obstacles that inhibit small business development. create access to capital, for example, via development banks that assist sector specific entrepreneurs. facilitate access to new markets for their products. provide tax incentives for businesses that create jobs and specifically those in labour intensive industries. empower and create opportunities for unemployed graduates in beneficiation programmes. review labour policies to reflect the desire to stimulate SMME growth. Women empowerment There is no equitable partnership between men and women. There needs to be a social paradigm shift about gender-equality that should usher in a new generation of women and men working together to create a humane world order. The violent crime perpetrated against women and children should be addressed. Women must be assisted to establish co-ops as part of economic empowerment and job creation. A UDM government commit itself to: ensure the participation of women in development processes with sustainable investment in capacity building through education, health and nutrition programmes. eliminate all obstacles that limit women’s access to wealth creation, decision-making, education, health care services and productive employment. a zero-tolerance system to punish, deter and rehabilitate offenders while supporting and restoring dignity and justice to victims. Youth empowerment According to the 2014 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risk Report, we have the third highest youth unemployment rate in the world. It estimates that more than 50% of young South Africans do not have jobs – this includes the semi-skilled and skilled youth. A UDM government commits itself to: focus on initiatives to get our youth working through education, skills development and vocational training. initiate job creation and opportunities for young South Africans, by radically reducing the red-tape that stifles entrepreneurship, introducing targeted incentives and supporting programmes for small businesses started by young people. employ semi-skilled youth as “green battalions” in projects to remove alien species, combat soil erosion, help with afforestation projects and introduce sustainable subsistence farming. empower our youth to develop micro-businesses, where they could for instance recycle, maintain schoolyards, parks, cemeteries, sporting facilities, etc. arrange youth mentorship and exchange programmes through bilateral agreements with other countries. Empowering people with disabilities There is a whole department dedicated to improve the lives of women, youth and people with disabilities and yet those with disabilities are treated as the step-child of this department. There are very few people with disabilities who are employed, not only in the public service, but also in the private sector. A UDM government commits itself to: develop policies based on the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as described in http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml. conduct regular audits to ascertain whether the public and private sectors are fair in giving people with disabilities the same opportunities as able persons. Industrial Policy In 1995, government embarked on a massive trade liberalisation programme that dramatically reduced trade tariffs in a wide range of labour intensive sectors, such as textile, agriculture and mining industries. This resulted in massive job losses as our core industries and labour intensive sectors had to compete with countries where such industries are heavily subsidised. Even worse, key strategic industries e.g. the steel industry (Iscor) were unbundled and sold to the private sector that now sells the same products for infrastructure development at inflated prices. The governments of the most powerful economies in the world, such as America, China and India and various other countries in Europe recognise the responsibility they have to their citizens. They do not hesitate to intervene in their economies by protecting local jobs and businesses. A government that proposes anything less does not care, and is not willing to accept responsibility, for the welfare and prosperity of its people. If you drive around in Ekurhuleni (in Gauteng), which used to be a hub of the steel industry, one only sees the scars of neglect and disuse because it could not compete with subsidised industries in other parts of the world. The ruling party is obsessed with the concept of beneficiation – this is however mere lip service. How ironic that, we export raw materials only to import the final products. The ruling party thus creates jobs for people in other countries. There are far too many instances where major developments, such as big mining projects, start in areas without the necessary consultation with the affected communities. What makes matters worse is that these companies, after pillaging the resources and damaging the environment, disappear into thin air. A UDM government commits itself to: do more – a responsible government cannot depend on market forces alone and fail to intervene in the economy while the quality of the life of its citizens deteriorates and millions of our people live in abject poverty and under-development review South Africa’s international trade tariffs and duties to protect developing local industries, encourage exports, increase international trade and support inbound tourism. create an environment that is conducive for the manufacturing sector and industry to flourish. create Export Processing Zones (EPZ) or Industrial Development Zones (IDZ) on a trial basis in some of our coastal provinces or in identified industrial areas with the purpose of creating jobs. reduce the red tape that stifles the ability of domestic companies to export their products to the rest of the world. develop support programmes for the labour intensive sectors and give special attention to those that create job opportunities for all South Africans. Mining There has recently been some interest in the subject of the nationalisation of mines which raised tensions to a boiling point. This situation resulted in great instability, not only amongst mine workers and their employers, but it also negatively impacted on South Africa as an investment destination. The complete UDM policy regarding minerals and energy is available on www.udm.org.za. A UDM government commits itself to: Make the mining topic one of the major points of discussion at the Economic Indaba which the UDM proposes. Some of the matters to be discussed are: the question of ownership of land, mines and mineral wealth. the allocation of mining rights to the ruling elite and its implications. socio-economic conditions of the workers and the communities that settle close to where the jobs are. the controversial issue of mineworkers’ access, or lack thereof, to a provident fund worth billions of rands. the unions’ investment arms and the pay-out of dividends to workers who have contributed to the fund. the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate how these workers’ monies had been invested, especially in cases where the workers were retrenched, had retired or passed away. Quality Education Our education system has become a political football and the solution lies in firm leadership. We need to restore authority to government and not teacher unions. Government spends approximately 6% of GDP on education. Despite the significant amount of resources ploughed into our basic education system, South Africa’s quality of education is very poor. This means that our children do not get the basic education they deserve thus leaving them ill-equipped to find employment. The 2013 matric pass rate of 78.2% is meaningless when one considers that the majority of matriculants can barely read and/or write. This scenario worsens when one considers that 60% of learners drop out before they reach Grade 10. Another factor that puts our learners and teachers at a disadvantage is the chopping and changing of education policy with the appointment of each new minister. Just when the teachers master a new curriculum, they have to start from scratch and in turn the learners suffer. Our tertiary institutions do not provide fair access to deserving students. They suffer from high drop-out rates and do not produce enough graduates to fill the skills shortages in the economy. The Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) have failed spectacularly – after 20 years they have produced nothing more than employment opportunities for the ruling party cadres who could not find jobs elsewhere. A UDM government commits itself to: translate the large education budget into quality education by developing and maintaining an education system that produces school-leavers and graduates that are equipped with job-related and life-skills. get back to the basics i.e. teachers must teach; learners must learn. free public education until Grade 12. career orientation and education will be enhanced to ensure that children can determine their future careers timeously and can reach the various goals on the way towards their employment. involve all the relevant stakeholders in curriculum development. design curriculum in such a way that it adapts to changing needs of society. it is important that the vital pillars of our education policy do not depend on the whims of one party’s minister, but are agreed to by all. improve the quality of the educational infrastructure, such as the physical infrastructure, teaching material and human resources. increase spending on the provision, development and maintenance of school buildings, water, sanitation and electricity. instil discipline, order, neatness and productivity. address the lack of commitment reflected in the neglect of the dress code by teachers and pupils as well as vandalism and truancy. ensure that crime, especially sexual harassment and abuse, at schools is met with zero-tolerance. Offenders will be removed from the institution and will face the full might of the law. foster a culture of learning and discipline with the reintroduction of regular school inspections. depoliticise the management and administration of schools by unions. review the entrance requirement as well as the curriculum for teacher training. include self-employment as a viable alternative within career guidance. Implement specific entrepreneurship education and training in the curricula of both basic and higher education institutions. review structures and curricula at FET colleges to ensure that they become more practical in addressing the needs of learners who aspire to be future entrepreneurs. restructure the SETAs by appointing the right people to the right positions. Feeding South Africa – Food Security and Rural Development The degradation of household food security in the country is of great concern. Though household food security is not the sole responsibility of the agricultural sector, it is vital that the production of food is stimulated to fulfil the needs of a fast growing population. Rural revitalisation and economic stagnation Many rural areas are in crisis with regard to resources and service delivery. Rural economies have imploded. The majority of people live in abject poverty. A major flaw of economic policy in the past 20 years has been the failure of the ruling party to bring infrastructure in rural areas and townships on par with that in the cities. People migrate to the large cities fuelling the chronic housing shortage; millions are forced to live in shacks because the infrastructure in the cities cannot keep pace with the demands of rapid urbanisation. Commercial farmers and their concerns In the past South Africa was net exporters of food and today we are net importers. It is extremely difficult for our commercial farmers to compete against their counterparts in other counties, because those countries make great effort to support their farmers. The safety and security of those who live in rural areas and far-flung areas of our country is of great concern. Poor border control and stock theft have a negative impact on our farming communities. Rural poverty is compounded by government’s neglect of development, alienation of farmers, communities and traditional leaders alike. In some instances land lies fallow or commercially viable farms has become unproductive because the new owner/s of the land do not have the necessary knowledge and/or capacity to run those farms. A UDM government commits itself to: use agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, create jobs and generate wealth, especially in rural areas. prioritise the needs of South African farmers by developing policies to subsidise farmers that will enable them to fairly compete against their international counterparts. We will also protect the South African market from the dumping of such subsidised products. reverse this situation through a concerted effort to stimulate agriculture and related businesses as well as using them as platforms for development in rural areas. create the necessary infrastructure that will create jobs and encourage the growth of more employment-creating agricultural-related enterprises, to ensure that the migration to urban areas is slowed down. accelerate the distribution of land in line with the UDM’s Land Policy and to encourage people to return to, or remain in, rural areas and start productive enterprises there. build infrastructure to support agricultural activity, such as irrigation schemes that have been proven to be successful in the past. establish “One-Stop Agricultural Service Centres” in rural areas where emerging farmers can ask for advice, veterinary services, access the necessary tools and knowledge to run their farms as businesses and also have a market for their produce. introduce special units specifically involved in rural safety through the deployment of reserve forces and other government security agencies to provide safety and enhance border control to curb stock-theft and smuggling. streamline the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to speed up the processes and restore land to their rightful owners, because the delays causes uncertainty and tension. The role of traditional leaders in development Traditional leaders have been side-lined for the past 20 years and they could have, and should, play an important role in rural revitalisation. In rural municipalities tensions between traditional leaders and councillors have reached boiling point, because traditional leaders have been stripped of the power and the deference they are entitled to. Many of them feel that they are only given recognition at election time. The houses that were established for traditional leaders are reduced to talk-shops and any decisions made by such bodies are not taken seriously by the ruling party. There is no standardisation in terms of the packages of the traditional leaders of the various tribes. Quality Healthcare Currently the poor are still disadvantaged in regards their access to, and the quality of, the primary health care they receive. It remains a sad fact of daily life for many South Africans who have to travel long distances to the nearest clinic or hospital. Hygiene at many clinics and hospitals are at unacceptable levels and must be addressed immediately. Provision and medicine stock at many clinics and hospitals fall far short of the basic requirements. The current spread of infrastructure and services prevent medicine from reaching hospitals and clinics. Inefficient mechanisms in the current system deprives patients, especially those in a critical state or in emergency, from being treated timeously and/or referred to institutions that are able to deal with their needs. At the moment patients are forced to wait hours and sit in long queues before they are assisted by staff that have a dismissive attitude towards their fellow humans in need. A UDM government commits itself to: bring health care infrastructure and services closer to the poor. improve public health facilities and services, including the maintenance of hospitals and clinics. ensure that all hospitals and clinics are properly stocked with medicines and other medical supplies and/or equipment. ensure that allocated money is spent on the services for which it is intended. No “savings” on budgets or rollovers will be tolerated. Accounting officers shall comply with the principle that under-spending is worse than over-spending. ensure that all doctors and nurses at primary healthcare facilities are properly trained, qualified and well compensated. streamline referral procedures to ensure that patients who require emergency or specialised care receive speedy and appropriate treatment at the appropriate medical facility. ensure that the primary health care system is tailored to respond effectively to the major diseases threatening the South African population such as tuberculosis (especially drug-resistant tuberculosis), cholera and malaria which are preventable illnesses and/or that can be treated. ensure that nutrition education and family planning form a basic part of primary health care, recognising that appropriate education and training in these areas will have a major impact on the well-being of communities. ensure that the Department of Health is part of an integrated response to alcohol and drug abuse, recognising that substance abuse contributes to high levels of violence, death and the breakdown of South African society. Justice cluster – safety and security There is no synergy between the various partners in the justice cluster i.e. intelligence, police, the courts and correctional services. The only time when we see any semblance of synergy is when they act in defence of the ruling elite. For many years the ruling party has refused to acknowledge the magnitude of the crime crisis facing South Africa (aside from the occasional outburst from a minister or two which never makes a difference). A world-class nation can exist only in a productive and safe environment that encourages enterprises to flourish whilst attracting local and foreign investments. It is extreme folly to parachute a national police commissioner, with no policing experience, to command the South African Police Force (SAPS) and that has a negative impact on discipline and morale. A UDM government commits itself to: restore civil order as an immediate priority. develop a doctrine that ensures that our police service functions according to a set of rules that are in line with the values enshrined in our Constitution. enhance coordination between the ministries and departments of justice, the police service, correctional service, defence and national intelligence. improve border and rural security by making use of a re-empowered, reorganised and retrained reserve force of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to patrol our borders. transform certain units of the South African Army into smaller, disciplined, professional and well-trained forces that are able to rapidly expand and mobilise when required i.e. rhino poaching. implement a crime eradication strategy. encourage communities to participate in fighting crime through the establishment of neighbourhood watches, etc. improve the relationship between the public and police in order to enhance intelligence gathering. establish a baseline information system (database) for strategic planning around crime and policing issues. ensure that SAPS encourage the best and the brightest to rise through the ranks; thereby ensuring that the people who command the police force understand policing. promote regional cooperation between South Africa and its neighbouring countries. Such cooperation will, amongst others, include improved extradition treaties to ensure that criminals do not cross our borders with impunity. Protecting the Environment The issue of the environment is of critical national and international importance. The threats to the survival of our environment and the people who inhabit it makes the issue a top national priority. The practice of proper use of land and resources is understood, but high levels of poverty in many parts of the country have led to the destruction of the environment; soil erosion, water pollution and widespread deforestation. As a result, desertification is threatening our country. It is critical that we uplift the poor and rescue our environment from permanent destruction. At the same time storms and adverse weather are becoming commonplace due to global climate change and this further exacerbates the threat to our environment. The socio-economic implications of the destruction or degradation of our environment imposes a serious obligation on everybody to play his or her part to protect our environment. Environmental concerns require a holistic and non-political approach because it affects all players, irrespective of social standing. Any activity by any person that harms the environment impacts on the lives of all the people of South Africa. The task of saving our environment calls for the elevation of the problem as a priority that warrants a “Marshall Plan” to save our natural heritage. Such a plan should identify, build and reward individuals, institutions and community-based organisations to rescue and conserve our environment. Here a specific opportunity exists to make use of the many community radio stations, which are doing sterling work on reflecting community issues and are well-placed to raise awareness about environmental, health and the related issues. Government advertisements would also help to make these stations economically viable and break the artificial advertising monopoly of the SABC. Community radio programmes would help with the broadening of knowledge, awareness of environmental issues and encourage commitment to its protection as well as development to show the poor who may have previously viewed issues of environment as a preoccupation of the wealthy. It must be made known to all our people that environmental concerns and strategies are geared towards the improvement of the quality of lives of all our people without exception. We must defuse the potential conflict between the imperatives of conservation and those of resource-poor communities. We need to link conservation with socio-economic development by allowing communities to have sustainable access to the life-supporting and income-earning potential of nature reserves and other protected areas. Population, resources and land distribution will remain areas of challenge and opportunity. The environmental and socio-political needs must deal with the material and perceived legacy of apartheid. In environmental management terms, this might mean a shift in focus to living and working environments and land reform. The UDM supports sustainable environmental development, in other words, we want that the prosperity we create today to not leave future generations without useful resources. The UDM believes that, through the implementation of bio-diversity programmes thousands of jobs can be created – it is possible to generate jobs and business opportunities whilst being environmentally responsible. A UDM Government will pursue the following objectives: Implementation of tax incentives to encourage the private sector and other institutions to invest in the development of technologies for conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity programmes. Similarly more active enforcement of the environmental law is required. Individuals or organisations that contravene these laws must be penalised. The massive number of environmental laws and regulations must immediately be consolidated into one concise and effective law. In South Africa in particular, and in the world in general, we face three major environmental crises: climate change, water scarcity and the energy crisis. These three challenges pose massive threats and require a concerted national and international response. A UDM Government would be a champion of these causes locally, on the continent and in international forums. Electoral Reform Political accountability is at the heart of fully-functioning democracy. The current proportional representation (PR) system means that elected leaders are accountable solely to their party bosses and not to the people who voted them into office. We need to be discard the PR system sooner rather than later. In addition the current practice where political parties impose their choice of president on the nation is profoundly undemocratic. A UDM government commits itself to: move towards a mixed electoral system that draws from the strengths of both the proportional and constituency based electoral systems. The first major step we will take is the introduction of constituencies into the PR system to ensure that politicians have a specific geographically-defined community they represent. change the electoral laws to allow for a separately elected President, as is the case in many democracies across the globe in that way we will put the power back in the hands of the voters.
Admin
26 Apr, 2014
North West address by UDM President, Mr Bantu Holomisa
• National Office Bearers of the UDM • UDM Provincial, Regional and Branch Leaders • UDM members and supporters • My fellow South Africans THANK YOU AND WELCOME We are in the home straight of Elections 2014. To the election teams of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), who have worked tirelessly to make this event a success, thank you for the hard work. You have made us proud. As this will be my last visit to this area before 7 May, I wish to thank you, the people of the surrounding communities, for always welcoming the UDM in your midst. Despite the mountainous challenges you face on a daily basis, you still came to listen to us. You have shown your willingness to walk this road with the UDM; to walk this road to economic freedom and a better life for all. THE FALLACY OF WEALTH AND PROSPERITY – THE PAST 20 YEARS The UDM acknowledges the impact of the colonial and apartheid legacy on the South African economy. However, some time down the line, we must be realistic and take stock of what went wrong in these past two decades. It is a bitter irony that our radios and televisions are filled these days with the poorly veiled ANC propaganda, which is served up as the success stories of government. But let me ask you this, have you actually seen any of these “wonderful changes” in your lives here on the platinum belt? If one thinks of the promise of a good life, that Madiba and his peers paved the way for, one is left with a bad taste in your mouth. The unfortunate reality is that people, like yourselves, are forced to leave and go further-and-further away from your places of birth in a desperate search for a decent income and therefor a decent life. The brutal socio-economic circumstances that South Africans face, make it impossible to safeguard the gains of our freedom. Poverty makes a laughing stock of our struggle icons’ legacy. What is the use of being free, if you are unable to do something as basic as putting food on the table? What is the answer to the silent question in your children’s eyes? Sorry my child, I can’t provide for you, because I can’t even provide for myself. You find yourselves in this undignified situation because of the poor policy choices, economic mismanagement and the unmitigated corruption of the ruling elite. The ANC cannot dodge the fact that they made this mess. Whilst the denialist comrades sit in their cosy houses in Sandton, you are made to suffer in the cold, dusty shanty towns with no hope of that wealth ever reaching your lives. Does that sound right to you? Is this freedom? WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU? You have a choice. You can continue on this same path or… you must do something different. Should you make your mark for the UDM, you can be assured of sending a team of people to government that have your concerns at heart. There are many solid ideas, plans and strategies contained in the UDM manifesto, that talks to education, safety, health, good governance, the environment and other important matters. However, given the unique distresses of this community, I want to focus on an issues that are particular to your lives. The UDM commits itself to make mining topic one of the major points of discussion at the Economic Indaba which the UDM proposes. Some of the matters to be discussed are: • the question of ownership of land, mines and mineral wealth. • the allocation of mining rights to the ruling elite and its implications. • socio-economic conditions of the workers and the communities that settle close to where the jobs are. • the controversial issue of mineworkers’ access, or lack thereof, to a provident fund worth billions of rands. • the unions’ investment arms and the pay-out of dividends to workers who have contributed to the fund. • the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate how these workers’ monies had been invested, especially in cases where the workers were retrenched, had retired or passed away. CONCLUSION In eleven days we will go to the voting stations to make our mark in favour of the political party of our choice. South Africans must take charge of the future of our country. We must take charge of our futures. We can no longer 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. Punish the ANC for their failures. On the 7th of May, you will have an opportunity to bring change to your lives. To bring that change, vote UDM! Thank you
Admin
26 Apr, 2014
UDM National and Provincial Elections 2014: 10th List
10th list 1. Bantubonke Harrington Holomisa 2. Nqabayomzi Lawrence Saziso Kwankwa 3. Khumbuzile Anna Prudence Madonsela 4. Kholofelo Nurse Mokgawa 5. Christobel Thandiwe Nontenja 6. Stanley Zoyisile Ntapane 7. Monde Archibald Ralo 8. Zolisa Lavisa 9. Sipho Richard Ngwema 10. Malcolm Julian Taylor 11. Patrick Similo Sitole 12. Nomathamsanqa Caroline Siwisa 13. Pumza Malefane 14. Mahlodi Johannes Rapetsoa 15. Akhona Mfaba 16. Bongani Johnson Msomi 17. Humphrey Sangolibanzi Nobongoza 18. Zelda Lungisa Ngxiki 19. Reuben Mlungisi Masango 20. Luzuko Malibongwe Luwaca 21. Susheelduth Avinchand Bhola 22. Nomfundo Faith Jamjam 23. Avhasei Edward Ramudingane 24. Nonqaba Xamle 25. Mogoshadi Lynah Msiza 26. Bonginkosi Zondani 27. Isaac Thabo Makofane 28. Kayise Donald Msindwana 29. Shiraz Ahmed Omar 30. Nhlanhla Emmanuel Thwala 31. Mamogodi Benjamin Mmotla 32. Christopher Zanemvula Deliwe 33. Kgosi Daniel Maselwane 34. Matsobane Adolf Mmina 35. Motlatso Selomo 36. Maleho Rampai William Lesoro 37. Goodman Lufefe Sololo 38. Janodien January 39. Pogisho Johannes Molebatsi 40. Sandile Hermenius Mankebe 41. Nomntu Iris Juleka 42. Freddie Heugh 43. Hazel Elizabeth Govender 44. Bongile Qum 45. Nelson Disita Sakabe 46. Sechaba Petrose Liphapang 47. Letuka Alfred Motsoane 48. Mawabo Pokolo 49. Lobisi Morake 50. Sindiswa Yawa 51. Matlakala Peter Mogatwe 52. Lindekile Silangwe 53. Lennox Mpumelelo Ndude 54. Mongezi Jacob Msuthu 55. Noel Dibakwane 56. Zintombi Precious Sododile 57. Pumeza Cynthia Mayekiso 58. Asemahle Magani 59. Mzwandile Piet Mdi 60. Pule Matthews Kulati 61. Galeboe Johannes Maleke 62. Thembeka Rose Anta 63. Ramarumo Johannes Malumise 64. Anna Mamohau Diloko 65. Felix Lulama Bongani Mahlati 66. Zodwa Eunice Maroloma 67. Mzimkulu Mpangele
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16 Apr, 2014
Holomisa contributes to The Daily Dispatch – Great Election Debate
• Moderator/Programme Director • The leaders of other political parties • Members of the audience • My fellow South Africans INTRODUCTION Thank you to the Daily Dispatch for giving the United Democratic Movement (UDM) the opportunity to discuss our points of view regarding our plans to transform South Africa into a Winning Nation. CORRUPTION FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Although some progress has been made over the past five years, corruption sticks out like a sore thumb. It is undeniable that South Africa finds itself on the slippery slope of more regular incidents of serious corruption. We have become a jaded nation where we only notice the misappropriation of funds if there are billions of Rands involved. We are witnessing a government that more and more resembles the dreaded apartheid regime. Here we think of the dissolution of the Scorpions, the introduction of the Information Bill, undermining press freedom, attacking Chapter 9 institutions and abuse of State Owned Enterprises (such as the SABC). The other alarming reality is that we have a president that does not know how state moneys were used to build his private residence… also, what happened to the so-called “spy tapes”? We are talking about a government that does not have the word “accountability” in their vocabulary. AN UNHEALTHY DEMOCRACY IN ACTION Our democratic constitution seeks to guarantee our freedom, but this can only be achieved if the socio-economic environment allows the Bill of Rights to be manifested i.e. a return to the original agenda to better the lives of all South Africans. As a result of the high rate of unemployment and poverty, our people have taken to the streets to voice their dissatisfaction. Sadly, government does not even bother to listen to their desperate plight and instead dispatches the police to silence them. IS THE PICTURE SO BLEAK THAT WE MIGHT AS WELL THROW IN THE TOWEL? The main question that a voter should ask of him/herself is this: “Do I want to suffer another five years at the hand of a party that loots state resources and celebrates corruption?”. The UDM believes the answer should be “no” and that we can still salvage the situation. WHAT WILL THE UDM DO IF GIVEN THE MANDATED TO GOVERN The UDM fundamentally believes that job creation is the ultimate weapon to combat poverty, but that the economy must be managed properly to achieve this goal. Strong government intervention is required to ensure that we have, amongst others, functioning roads, electrification, water irrigation and reticulation, and an efficient rail network, which are required to ensure economic growth. There are more details on what the UDM offers the nation in our 2014 Election manifesto, which is available on www.udm.org.za, but I would like to raise some salient points: A UDM government commits, amongst others, to: Good governance: a) Restore respect for the rule of law. b) Put in place the necessary checks and balances to ensure that government money is not wasted. c) Instil respect for the separation of powers of government, legislatures and the judiciary. d) Introduce courts dedicated to handle cases of corruption; to swiftly eradicate corruption. The economy and job creation: e) Remove the red-tape that prevent small businesses from flourishing so that our citizens become wealth creators rather than employment seekers. f) Invest in the economy with a properly planned “map of infrastructure development” with emphasis on transparency and cooperation between government and the people. g) To defuse the tensions between the government, labour and the private sector in an effort to harmonise relationships in an open and transparent manner. h) Treat all provinces the same way, instead of the current tendency where budget allocations are biased towards provinces from where powerful individuals hail. Feeding SA – food security and rural development i) Use agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, create jobs and generate wealth, especially in rural areas. j) Prioritise the needs of our commercial and emerging farmers by developing policies that will enable them to fairly compete against their international counterparts. k) Restore the respect due to traditional leaders and create space for them to constructively interact with councillors and involve them in the decision-making processes, especially where development projects are concerned. Education: l) Involve all the relevant stakeholders in curriculum development. m) Translate the large education budget into quality education by developing and maintaining an education system that produces school-leavers and graduates that are equipped with job related and life skills. Health care: n) Bring health care infrastructure and services closer to the poor. o) Ensure that the budget allocation is spent on the services for which it is intended and no “savings” or rollovers will be tolerated. THE EASTERN CAPE IN PARTICULAR It is common knowledge that the Eastern Cape is heavily under budgeted given the two homelands and townships’ infrastructure that had to be integrated into in the developed infrastructure that was inherited in 1994. This has not happened. The UDM has identified the following key objectives for this province: a) Address the democracy dividend deficiency so that it becomes a model province in terms of all development goals. b) 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. c) Improve on the quality of life of the poorest in the province, by bringing essential public services closer to the people and increase the capacity of the institutions that provide those services e.g. healthcare, education, food security and local employment opportunities. d) In particular, turn around the performance of the departments of health and education. e) Provide effective local governance through appropriate personnel employment, proper planning and utilisation of resources as well as performance management. f) Restore the correct relationships between politicians and officials. g) This province is endowed with the most spectacular and under-utilised resource in the form of our environment. Our environment is a priceless asset; and yes, development is necessary, but not at the expense of our natural heritage. Our environment can be preserved and also be used as a tool to create jobs through tourism. 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 election campaign is inspired by hope, and the certainty, that this nation can overcome its challenges and deliver a better future for all South Africans. 7 May is around the corner! Make your vote count! Vote UDM Thank you
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13 Apr, 2014
Address: by Bantu Holomisa at a UDM Elections Rally Community Hall, Seeisoville, Kroonstad
Address: by Bantu Holomisa at a UDM Elections Rally Community Hall, Seeisoville, Kroonstad • Mr Mbhazima Shilowa • Leaders of the UDM in the Free State • My fellow South Africans WELCOME This is the third rally, which the United Democratic Movement (UDM) organised this weekend. We yesterday moved from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape and today we are here in the Free State. The previous weekend we hosted rallies in Limpopo, the North West and in Mpumalanga. The reason I mention this, is to prove to the doubting thomases that the UDM does not only exist in the Eastern Cape – we indeed have a national footprint. To all of you, I say “thank you” for welcoming the UDM in your midst. It is heartening to see so many citizens who share the ideal of transforming South Africa into a Winning Nation. STATE THE NATION Although some progress has been made over the past five years, corruption has become a hallmark of how the incumbent government conducts its business. We can no longer beat around the bush… it is a fact that corruption destroys the gains of our freedom. Simple. Once voters recognise the direct link between 1) the looting of state resources and poor service delivery and 2) a government that sees nothing wrong with corruption, it makes their decision so much easier. We cannot allow the same hyenas to stay in power for another five years. These people seem to live in a parallel universe where the poor can be ignored or made fools of. What we witnessed, when Youth League bash in Thembisa on 22 February, it was quite astounding to see their Mini Cooper and big bike brigade in action. If one considers, for example, that a 2014 Harley Davidson VRod Muscle motorcycle costs nearly R220,00 and that an entry level Mini Cooper sell at around R300,00, it gives one some perspective of what the future holds should they become the next generation of leaders in the African National Congress (ANC). This lurid and garish display of their fat wallets was totally discordant with what the ANC states as its priorities. Instead it just rubs salt in the wounds of the poor and jobless masses. On a side note, one cannot help but wonder where do they get the money to maintain their lavish lifestyles. Therefore, when you have your ballot papers in in hand, ask yourself this: “Do I want to again place my trust in a party that have made a total mockery of their promise to better the lives of our people. THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR The Free State holds great promise, with over 30,000 farms, which produce over 70% of the country’s grain. It is therefore quite clear that agriculture is of paramount importance in the Free State. We don’t call it the breadbasket of our country for mahala. A UDM government will: • prioritise the needs of our farmers by developing policies to subsidise farmers that will enable them to fairly compete against their international counterparts. • protect the South African market from the dumping of subsidised products. • promote agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, create jobs and generate wealth. • put in place the necessary infrastructure that will create jobs and encourage the growth of more employment-creating agricultural-related enterprises, to slow down migration to urban areas i.e. we will bring decent jobs and financial emancipation closer to the people. The UDM believes that more opportunities should be created for emerging farmers and that they should be equipped with the right knowledge, skills, tools and infrastructure to make a make a commercial success of their farming activities. Aside from the obvious need to provide education and training to emerging farmers, a UDM government would establish a sectoral bank where they can apply for financing. Another creative solution that a UDM government would implement is “One-Stop Agricultural Service Centres” where farmers can: • ask for advice, • access to veterinary services. • find the tools and knowledge that are necessary to run their farms as businesses and also to have a market to sell their produce. RURAL SAFETY The safety and security of those who live in rural areas is of great concern, In addition the Free State is quite vulnerable when it comes to cross-border stock theft. A UDM government will introduce special units specifically involved in rural safety through the deployment of reserve forces and other government security agencies to provide safety and enhance border control to curb stock-theft and smuggling. LAND REFORM The matter of land reform still is a thorny issue that has to be addressed sooner rather than later. A UDM government will streamline the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to speed up the processes and restore land to their rightful owners, because the delays causes uncertainty and tension. THE MINING SECTOR The Free State has plentiful mineral deposits, with gold and diamonds being of particular importance. A UDM government shall make mining one of the major points of discussion at the Economic Indaba that the UDM has long advocated for. In our view, some of the matters to be discussed are the: • question of mines and mineral wealth. • allocation of mining rights to the ruling elite and the implication thereof. • dealing with the socio-economic conditions of workers and the communities that settle close to where the jobs are. • controversial issue of mineworkers’ access, or lack thereof, to a provident fund worth billions of rands. • the unions’ investment arms and the pay-out of dividends to workers who have contributed to the fund. • the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate how these workers’ monies had been invested, especially in cases where the workers were retrenched, had retired or passed away. THE UNDERLYING RACISM IN THE FREE STATE Racism at the Free State University is of great concern. Every now and again this cauldron boils over. There are far too many incidents where white students humiliated and physically attacked black students. I do however think that the incident that shocked the nation to its core, was what happened when the so-called ‘Reitz Four” debased the dignity of some of the university’s staff to the point where I feel uncomfortable to describe what the victims had to endure. The UDM is of the view that there must be harsher punishment for South Africans who make themselves guilty of hate crime in the hope that it will prevent future incidents. CONCLUSION South Africans must take charge of the future of our country. Each citizen has a number of basic human rights as described our Bill of Rights. What we should however remember is that those rights comes with concomitant responsibilities. On the 7th of May, the people will have an opportunity to bring change to South Africa and the only way this can be successful is that voters much punish the ANC for their failures. To the UDM teams who have worked tirelessly to make this event a success, thank you for your hard work. Seven (7) May is right around the corner and we have to work tirelessly to persuade our fellow South Africans that the UDM is a viable alternative. Good luck in your campaigning. Thank you
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12 Apr, 2014
Holomisa speaks at UDM Rally at Gompo Community Hall, Duncan Village, East London
• Leaders of the UDM in the Eastern Cape • UDM public representatives • My fellow South Africans WELCOME The 2014 elections campaign of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) is gaining momentum. Just this morning I addressed a full-hall in Khayelitsha. Tomorrow Mhbazima Shilowa and I will be in Kroonstad in the Free State. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for making the time to listen to what the UDM would do if it was given the opportunity to govern the Eastern Cape. 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
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12 Apr, 2014
Address: by the UDM President, Mr Bantu Holomisa at a UDM Elections Rally in OR Tambo Sports Centre, Khayelitsha
• Leaders of the UDM in the Western Cape • UDM Public representatives • My fellow South Africans WELCOME Welcome to this rally of the United Democratic Movement (UDM). Thank you for spending your time with us; thank you for coming to listen to what the UDM believes is needed so that we can transform South Africa into a Winning Nation. We hope that you leave this rally, equipped with the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision when you cast your vote on 7 May 2014. You are today part of an historic event. This meeting is a demonstration that it is possible for us to take charge of our country’s future, because we have the guts to take responsibility as stakeholders and investors in our country’s future. It is therefore my honour, on this day, to share this platform with a friend and comrade, Mr Mbhazima Shilowa. Welcome to the club Sam! Thank you for aligning yourself, and your followers, with the dreams and ideals of the UDM i.e. achieve an equitable society and a healthy democracy in South Africa. STATE THE NATION Every five years, South Africans meet at the voting station to choose the political party, which they think, will best govern their province and this country. The voters will reflect on the progress made over the last five years, however, corruption sticks out like a sore thumb. Corruption is one of the main reasons why South Africa is downgraded in the international ratings and this negatively impacts on direct foreign investment In the end the voters of this country must decide whether they want another five years of looting and abuse of state resources and the celebration of corruption. The most recent example of this corruption is that government spent millions-and-millions of rands to build a lodge and a “fire pool” for the president at Nkandla. What nauseates many South Africans even further is the flagrant arrogance of the president and his party. They show nothing but disdain – and did not even blink an eye when they launched the unwarranted attack on the Public Protector. President Zuma, is a deployee of the African National Congress (ANC), the people did not elect him to power. The ANC should have summarily dealt with him, as it did when it unceremoniously got rid of President Mbeki, albeit for different reasons. Right now there is much noise in support of the idea that parliament must attend to this fiasco, but – with due respect – parliament has failed to deal with corruption and this includes Nkandla. We know very well what the ANC’s stance is on the matter. Why then should we waste our time; the next Parliament must be given a fresh mandate by the people. Come 7 May, voters must decide whether they want to put their eggs in the ANC’s basket. They must decide whether they want to suffer another five years of looting of state resources. LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT? There are definite signs that the deal that was struck in 1994, to create a quasi-federal system (i.e. a central government, distinct from the individual governments of the provinces), has enforced racism and tribalism. You are likely to agree with the UDM that the various provinces are not treated the same. If you doubt this, just take a look at the skewed budget allocations and distribution of resources from one province to the next. That said, the Western Cape has a problem that sets it apart from the other eight provinces. More often than not, the provincial and national governments are at loggerheads and they each refuse to employ reason and logic. This practice of grudge politics is counterproductive. Whilst they merrily attack each other, the people wallow in the malaise of poverty, underdevelopment, whilst service delivery is at an all-time low. The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the ANC spend more time slinging mud at each other, instead of focussing on finding solutions, which will have a positive impact on the lives of the Western Cape’s citizens. A side-effect, of this political grandstanding, is that the aforementioned parties are – either wilfully or unwittingly – polarising the people in this province. It is an inescapable reality that this fans the flame of tension between different communities in this province. Amidst the debris of these battles, the people of the Cape Flats still remain forgotten and live in the very same shacks they lived in since the early 80’s. Not the ANC or the DA can claim that they have made a tangible changes to the lives of these people. The only worth that is associated with the poor is that they serve as mere voting cattle. Another reality that seems to escape the powers that be, is that Premier Helen Zille and her government, are not a law unto themselves. Like any other premier, she is accountable to central government – whether she likes it or not. The UDM takes a dim view of both the central (ANC) and the provincial (DA) governments’ inability to swallow their pride, to set their difference aside, to serve the people of this province. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN THE PROVINCE One of the socio-economic problems in this province (which of course is not unique) is service delivery protests. It is clear that the provincial administrations of the ANC and the DA turned a blind eye to the poor for decades. The people are so frustrated and angry that the only way in which they can elicit a reaction from government is by burning tires on the streets, blocking highways and tossing stones at innocent road users. The UDM has a strong stance against civil disobedience, but we have some understanding of the plight of these disenfranchised communities. The domino effect then sets in – service delivery protests leads to the perception that Cape Town is an unsafe travel destination. This in turn impacts negatively on much needed income that is generated through tourism. In the meantime our young people are lured into crime, drugs and the gangsterism, because of underdevelopment and lack of education in disadvantaged communities – especially in rural areas and in the townships. Yes, we agree, the South African Police Service should pull up their socks, but the sad reality is that active policing only addresses only the symptoms and not the underlying problem. The DA can hold as many marches as it likes and hand over memorandums to the police, but that solves nothing. The root cause of the problems should be addressed. A UDM government will “go back to basics” i.e. the implementation of the original agenda, which is to ensure a better life for all South Africans. In this regard, our manifesto and policies describe what the UDM will do should it be given an opportunity to govern. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND WEALTH CREATION The Western Cape is not endowed with mineral riches, but it makes up for that in terms of income generated through tourism, the winemaking industry and other agricultural activities. The problem is that the income generated from the aforementioned sectors very rarely reaches the desperately poor. The gap between the rich and the poor is ever widening in this province. In addition, Cape Town used to be dotted with factories where clothing, shoes and other such products were produced. These factories generated many jobs because they are labour intensive. Where did all these companies disappear to… and why? . The UDM believes that enterprising South Africans should be funded through sectoral banks. In this regard we are particularly reminded of small fishery concerns and aquaculture. CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE No matter from which perspective you look at the Western Cape’s history, the fact remains that this province is endowed with a very rich cultural history. However the indigenous communities have voiced concerns that they are disenfranchised. A UDM delegation recently visited the Khoisan King. The King and his headmen conveyed their feelings that government, on national and provincial levels, have ignored them to a great extent and have undermined the role that traditional leaders play in the Western Cape. CONCLUSION The UDM members and supporters must hit the ground running. Go out there, speak to the people and spread the gospel of the UDM. We cannot afford to sit with our arms folded whilst the majority of our people live in abject poverty, for future generations will judge us harshly, because we let bad things happen on our watch. Time is running out, 7 May is around the corner! Good luck in your campaigning. I thank you
Admin
02 Apr, 2014
Address: by the President to of the United Democratic Movement, Mr Bantu Holomisa at a meeting with Traditional and business leaders as well as Leaders of Religious Groupings, Khanyisa High School, Mthatha
• Traditional leaders • Leaders of religious organisations • Provincial Office Bearers of the UDM in the Eastern Cape • UDM Public Representatives • My fellow South Africans and Transkeians INTRODUCTION We stand at the precipice of what can be a great change in the future of our country – in your futures. We can all agree that many things have gone right in the past 20 years, but the tragedy of the South African story unfortunately lies in the things that have gone wrong. THE STATE OF THE EASTERN CAPE The Eastern Cape is the step-child of a government that does not listen to the cries for help from the people in this province. The ruling party prefers to practice ostrich politics and ignore you. It is common knowledge that the Eastern Cape is heavily under budgeted given the two homelands and townships’ infrastructure that had to be integrated into in the developed infrastructure that was inherited in 1994. This has not happened. For instance, the roads are impassable, there is a shortage of water and no fencing of graze lands and mealie fields, etc. The infrastructure of the former homelands and townships are in a shocking state of disrepair. When you reach the Transkei, the Ciskei and places like Duncan Village, Mdantsane and the townships of Port Elizabeth, it feels as if you have entered a third world. One of the main threats to the Transkei region, for example, is the short supply of water. Any businessperson, in his or her right mind, would think twice before starting any commercial endeavour in towns such as Mthatha, because water supply is either non-existent or erratic. Our buildings are run down; our streets have more holes than tarred surfaces, and they are just plain dirty. If you go down the streets of the cities and towns, the paint flakes from the walls and roofs of the buildings. It is a sad and ugly sight. No-one respects the bylaws and they are definitely not enforced. Our towns are fast becoming slums and is threatening hygiene. It becomes worse when some business persons sleep inside their shops. Our people experience this phenomenon as a cultural shock. Government buildings are in a state of disrepair and our schools and hospitals are falling apart. Who would want to invest in a city or town that bears such scars of abject neglect? We see that there is absolutely no co-ordination between the local and district municipalities, as well as the provincial and national governments. This has resulted in the breakdown of discipline, and anarchy prevails where people build where they want to. Even in the villages people build in commonage areas with not respect for the traditional institutions. Government funds, in other words every cent we pay for tax, are syphoned off to consultants that are appointed to do government’s work through corrupt tender processes. Many small companies who win tenders are ruined because the ruling party and its government do not pay them on time. As a result of this ineptitude many business are forced to close down. This once great region, that produced some of the finest minds and struggle icons in the country, have become an embarrassment to its people. The current leaders of the ruling party is not only blatantly insulting their memory, but their actions are an affront to the people. We have heard how learners in KwaZulu-Natal have benefitted from state of the art computer laboratories with broadband internet access. The question at the top of our minds is: “Why are those children more important than those in the other provinces – the Eastern Cape included?” This is pure discrimination at the expense of our children. Simple. When the ruling party came into power, they threw away the baby with the bathwater and destroyed all the good things they inherited without spending a moment of thought to the consequences. In their lack of wisdom, they took away the incentives that made it attractive for companies to build their factories closer to the people who desperately need a source of income. The policies and programmes that worked in the past were callously left by the wayside, because the ruling party did not have a future vision for the province. Here we think of the units that combatted soil erosion and eradicated alien species, as well as the numerous maintenance and agricultural projects. Lastly, the people of this province have been treated as nothing more than voting cattle. Every five years, just before an election, the ruling party honchos come around and promises heaven and earth. After the results are announced, they suffer from selective amnesia and leave you in the dust of their passing gravy train. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE EASTERN CAPE? The reality is that should voters reward the ANC with another five years to loot state resources, this province will sink even deeper in the quagmire of underdevelopment and corruption. The Eastern Cape will fall even further behind the rest of the provinces. As we speak they misused over R22 million that was intended to improve schools, hospitals, housing, etc. They diverted the funds to the Madiba’s memorial service, but in in real terms it was used to buy ANC election material. If I had the opportunity to influence things here in the Eastern Cape, and this I can say from experience, the future of this province will be ensured once we return to the original agenda, which is to better the lives of all South Africans – and especially those who live in the Eastern Cape. As leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), I am not interested in theories and promises. You will remember that I have successfully done this job in the past and the ethics of good governance was at the top of our list of priorities. I am only interested in practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of the people in this province. Collectively we need to speak with one voice and make it clear that the government that comes after this election must to do more and prioritise the development of this province. We need to recapture the lost ground in the area of education. This province was once the fountain of education for the whole country. We need to once more seriously interrogate the lack of discipline and the selling of drugs in our towns and villages CONCLUSION Each of you have the right to say “no” to corruption and poor service delivery. Let us make our voices heard and say: “We will not stand for the looting of state resources”. You have the power to demonstrate to our forefathers and mothers (many of whom paid the ultimate price for our freedom) that you can take charge of your futures and build on their legacy, instead of destroying it. The UDM calls on the traditional leaders, as the custodians of our country’s traditions, norms and future direction, to play a critical role in ensuring that our people’s right to dignity is restored and protected. The UDM also calls on the leaders of religious groupings, who are the moral compass of our nation, to lead their flocks on the path of morality and ethics. Take your rightful position, as you did in the Apartheid years, and remind our people that discrimination on any basis is wrong. We must stand together and fight to realise the dream of the Rainbow Nation. There is hope for South Africa and the UDM can lead real change in your lives. When you make your mark on the 7th of May, I want you to remember, that the power is in your hands. Think of our future and that of our children. I thank you
Admin
01 Apr, 2014
Resolutions of meeting of the Multi-Party Forum at the Burgers Park Hotel, Pretoria
The following political parties, ACDP, AgangSA, Azapo, Cope, DA, EFF, FF+, IFP, UCDP and UDM met today to discuss various issues regarding their concerns around the practical processes of Elections 2014, the findings around the lease agreement of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) head office, manipulation of the public broad caster, as well as the Nkandla Scandal. PRACTICAL MATTERS REGARDING ELECTIONS 2014 Some of the practical matters that were discussed are: 1. Numbering and security features of ballot papers. 2. Allocation and distribution of ballot papers to each voting station and the security thereof. 3. Allegations of IEC officials intimidating party agents. 4. The names of the companies that: • Print the ballot papers, • Are responsible for capturing votes. • Are responsible to transport ballot papers from the printers to the IEC’s warehouse. 5. Allocation of airtime for Public Electoral Broadcasts (PEBs) to various political parties. 6. The role of international and national observers. 7. Appointment of presiding officers and the involvement of partisan persons. 8. Standardisation of assistance to voters who need help, such as blind or illiterate persons. THE IEC’s SERVICE PROVIDERS The Electoral Commission undertook to make known the names of all the services providers that • are involved in the production of the ballot papers, • their distribution and security, • as well as the IT companies who are responsible for capturing of votes. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDING OFFICERS The political parties agreed that no person may be appointed as a Presiding Officer if they are affiliated with any political formation, such as the Sadtu. POLITICAL PARTIES’ VIEWS ON THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION The subject of the implementation of both the Public Protector’s recommendations, as well as the findings of National Treasury’s forensic audit, regarding the IEC lease agreement of its head office, was discussed at length. Some political parties expressed the view that the good international reputation of the IEC has been tainted and it creates doubt that the Commission that can preside over free and fair elections. All the political parties present, with the exception of the Democratic Alliance and the Freedom Front Plus, agreed that Adv. Pansy Tlakula, the incumbent Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, must resign immediately. Should she refuse to resign, the parties who are in agreement will pursue legal action. The political parties have agreed to establish a small committee to discuss joint action regarding the matter and those details will be disclosed at a later stage. NKANDLA SCANDAL The leaders of the political parties will meet to discuss the matter after President’s Zuma’s reaction tomorrow as was ordered by the Public Protector.
Admin
02 Feb, 2014
UDM Manifesto 2014
Message from UDM President Bantu Holomisa My fellow South Africans 2014 is an auspicious year, as South Africans mark 20 years of freedom. The Bill of Rights ensures that all the citizens of our beautiful country have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Our dignity has been restored and we enjoy freedom and security of our person. We can live where we want to. No one is denied access to establishments based on colour. We all have the right to basic education; to speak our own languages, freedom of religion and celebrate our diverse cultures. These liberties, as enshrined in the country’s constitution, which were hard won are being destroyed by corruption. To compound matters the socio-economic circumstances of our people make it very difficult to safeguard the gains of our freedom. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) seeks to address these basic deficiencies and also empower our people and transform South Africa into a Winning Nation. If one looks at our economy one cannot deny that, amongst others, job creation and poverty are interlinked. The UDM believes that job creation is the ultimate weapon to combat poverty, but this goal will not be realised if our economy is not managed properly. Government has a must intervene to protect our economy and South African jobs when necessary. Meaningful government intervention is needed to ensure economic growth. This necessarily means, for instance, that our roads should be passable; an efficient rail network should be in place; the electrification, water, irrigation and reticulation of communities and business should be high on government’s agenda. Regarding our macro-economic policy, there is still no consensus on how South Africa can transform its economy in a manner that creates wealth and improves the fortunes of the disadvantaged majority. South Africa already finds itself on the same path as our sister nations on the African continent that have failed their citizens. Disrespect of the rule of law, as exhibited by our executive, as well institutionalised corruption, has a direct bearing on South Africa’s downgrading on international ratings, which in turn negatively impact on investor confidence. The symbiotic relationships between political parties and their so-called “investment arms” (such as the ANC and Chancellor House Holdings) erodes private sector confidence. It is an unfortunate fact that South Africa is steadily sinking deeper in the quagmire of corruption. What makes matters worse is that these acts of corruption keep reaching new heights and they happen with greater frequency. A case in point is, during the infrastructure development in preparation of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, service providers inflated their prices to make a greater profit at the expense of the taxpayer. Citing another example, we were all shocked to learn that Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), which had a good international reputation, could be embroiled in corruption and maladministration. In the final analyses; no one can dispute that: Corruption destroys the gains of our freedom! The obvious question that follows is: Are things so bad that we might as well throw in the towel? The UDM emphatically says NO! As much as the situation in which we find ourselves might be discouraging and bleak, the UDM firmly believes that it is not too late for us to turn things around. There is so much untapped potential in our country and her people that we cannot, and should not, let go of the dream of prosperous nation. In this manifesto the UDM makes a number of constructive suggestions to address some of the burning issues we face as a nation – for greater detail on our policies please visit our website www.udm.org.za. As you read through this manifesto, remind yourself that you, the voter, have the power to make the dream of a prosperous South Africa a reality. We need a government that puts South Africa and her people first. We deserve a government that will really take South Africa forward. Vote UDM! Thank you Bantu Holomisa Good Governance Rule of law is a system on which a proper government should be based as it guards against the abuse of power and allows innovation and the economy to flourish. As an indictment of our government, the Institute for Accountability unequivocally stated that, since 1994, the reason for poverty in South Africa is directly attributable to, “the theft” of R700-billion. The Institute further stated that government in fact had the resources necessary to uplift 11 million citizens from abject poverty – see http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/01/27/corruption-is-killing-the-poor). The UDM sees corruption as one of the main contributors to unemployment, poverty, inequality and poor service delivery. Our people are so frustrated by their living conditions that their anger frequently boils over and instead of government listening to their concerns it dispatches the police. We cannot hope to effectively eradicate poverty without addressing “institutionalised corruption”. There are many examples, such as the E-tolling system; Travelgate; the Oilgate/PetroSA (Iraq) scandal; the deal involving Hitachi, Eskom and Chancellor House Holdings; the IEC and the South African Police Services’ lease agreement scandals; Guptagate and also of course Nkandlagate. Another typical example of the disregard of the rule of law is that, despite the fact that a court ordered the President of this country to hand over the so-called “spy tapes”, a government property, he refuses to do so. In yet another instance, cabinet chastised the Public Protector for simply fulfilling its mandate. This cancer of corruption has implicated many top leaders and officials (including the highest office in this country) and it has spilled over into the private sector. The brazen practice of corruption has the ruling party reeling from one scandal to the next. It has in fact reduced its promise to combat corruption to a joke. How perfectly timed was the arrival of the Information Bill just after the media had exposed a number of corruption scandals. Although the jury is still out, there seems to be general consensus that the Bill was introduced to hide evidence of corrupt practices. The tendency to appoint people with the “right political connections”, instead of those who have the right qualifications and/or skills, promote mediocrity. One sees many examples of this tendency when one looks at the corrupt and ineffective state owned enterprises (SOEs) that serve as a gravy train for the elite. To make matters worse, the situation has become more complicated with the tri-partite alliance leaders now fighting over state resources forgetting that this infighting erodes investor confidence and leaves our people living in squalor without basic services. A UDM Government commits itself to: promote a culture of good governance. respect the separation of powers of government, legislatures and the judiciary. develop a vetting process where persons nominated for positions in the executive are subjected scrutiny to establish their integrity and suitability to serve in a specific portfolio. restore proper relationships between politicians and officials; the current culture of political interference in the daily administration of government, causes bureaucratic chaos and fuels corruption and tender fraud. restore the powers of the accounting officers and ensure that there is no political interference. The role of political heads should be confined to oversight. introduce courts dedicated to handle cases of corruption; to swiftly eradicate corruption as demonstrated by the UDM’s track record of consistently and fearlessly exposing corruption. root out this culture where corruption is condoned and celebrated. conduct a skills audit to ascertain whether the right people are employed in the right posts and at the right levels. appoint government employees, leaders of the Chapter 9 Institutions and SOEs, based on merit, relevant knowledge and qualifications. review the current tender system that currently makes it possible for bribery and corruption to flourish. SA economy in context While the UDM acknowledges and appreciates the impact of the colonial and apartheid legacy on the South African economy, 20 years into our democracy there is clear verifiable evidence that poor policy choices, mismanagement, corruption and lack of visionary and imaginative intervention has negatively affected our economy. As a direct consequence, massive poverty, high unemployment (especially among the youth), growing inequality as well as shrinking productive manufacturing sector have become defining features of our economy. In recent years our global and continental competitiveness has been on the decline as reflected in most studies and surveys. The reality is that this country is fast becoming more of a welfare state than a developmental state with the swelling number of dependents on state-provided social security and diminishing productive sector of manufacturing and entrepreneurship. All this happens against the backdrop of escalating cost of living which puts a greater squeeze of economic hardship on the average citizen. As an answer to these challenges, the UDM has a carefully considered plan to stimulate and grow the South African economy for the benefit of all its citizens while remaining globally competitive. The economy and job creation Since 1994 the paradox of the South African economy has been a jobless growth, even when this country has had a sustained growth for ten years. Therefore the recent global financial crisis can never be used as an excuse for what is obviously a structural problem perpetuated by poor policy choices by the ruling party. The problem is twofold, slow economic growth to meet the increasing demands for employment and development as well as jobless growth even in the sectors that have registered significant growth. The ruling party has adopted policies that have failed to grow the South African economy at the rate required to create jobs. As a result, the average economic growth rate stands at a dismal 2.6% per annum compared to the other emerging markets and most African economies where average is between 6 and 8%. The official unemployment rate is 24.7%. This unemployment rate excludes those people who have given up looking for work. When this category is included in the overall measurement, the unemployment rate deteriorates to more than 35%, with youth the most affected. This presenting perfect conditions for social and political instability should this situation not be urgently addressed. In other words, nearly 7 million South Africans are unemployed due to the misguided policies of the ruling party. According to the 2014 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risk report, South Africa has the third highest youth unemployment rate in the world. It estimates that more than 50% of young South Africans are unemployed and this rises to above 70% in some rural communities and informal settlements. The growing service delivery protests and labour unrest are objective irrefutable indications of a growing crisis, with the state more frequently relying on violence and brute force as evidenced by the Marikana Massacre and many other situations in communities in the Northwest and Limpopo. The most painful irony is that the former liberation movement, that espoused egalitarian principles during the struggle years, now presides over the most grotesque and ever-worsening inequality. South Africa today has earned the dubious title of being one of the most unequal societies in the world even surpassing Brazil that has held this ignoble title for some time. This badge of dishonour is a direct consequence of corruption and policies that allow the rich to accumulate obscene levels of wealth in a vast ocean of material poverty of the majority of our citizens. This situation is made worse by the ruling party’s abuse of otherwise well-intended policies of empowerment such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and state tender policies that are twisted to enrich the politically connected cadres of the ruling party. The most dramatic and symbolic demonstration of the social distance between the ruling political elite and the people is the failure to review and make modest the ministerial handbook. Even in the face of global and local economic and financial crises they insist on parasitic preservation of their lifestyle using taxpayers’ money. Poor management of fiscus The ruling party often prides itself on its ability to maintain fiscal discipline. However, in the past five years South Africa’s fiscal position has deteriorated significantly due to the ruling party’s poor management of the economy and its failure to improve the country’s competitiveness. Nowhere is this loss of competitiveness more evident than in the current account deficit of 6% (R200 billion). In 2008, South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio was 23%, and it is projected to reach 39.3% in 2013/14 and 43.9% in 2016/17. In 2007/2008 South Africa had a budget surplus of 1.7%. This surplus declined to a budget deficit of 4.2% in 2013/14, which puts our country in the unenviable position of operating twin deficits on the expenditure side of the budget and the current account. It is clear that the ruling party has failed to properly manage our economy. It has also failed to close the gap between revenue and consumption and is therefore unfit to govern. Government has failed to create an environment that is conducive for foreign direct investment. Instead it insists on keeping the interest rates artificially high in order to attract portfolio investments that are fickle in nature. This however raises the cost of credit for ordinary South Africans. South Africa’s current cabinet is far too big to function effectively. Millions of taxpayers’ money is wasted on maintaining their opulent lifestyles with perks like fancy cars and luxury accommodation. Government departments waste billions of rands hiring service providers and consultants to start projects; they however do not even make the effort to monitor progress and establish whether the minimum requirements are met. Such service providers are paid in full without government inspecting the quality of their work. When international businesses seek to invest in our economy, they are “told” who their South African partners would be. A classic example would be the deal between Hitachi, Eskom and Chancellor House Holdings (the latter of course being the ruling party’s investment arm). This institutionalised corruption that makes potential investors think twice about investing in our economy. UDM plans for economic development and job creation After a careful analysis of South Africa’s economic challenges and opportunities, reinforced by comparative analysis of successful policies in other countries, the UDM has a practical realisable plan. The basic philosophy of the UDM is that “Government Must Do More”. While the UDM recognises the valuable role that markets should play, it is of the firm belief that government must play a key role in creating a stable policy environment and developing the economy for the benefit of our people. “Government Must Do More” means that a responsible government: cannot depend on market forces alone. cannot fail to decisively intervene in the economy whilst the quality of life of its citizens deteriorates, South Africans cannot find decent work, millions live in abject poverty and suffer because of underdevelopment. has to ensure that our political freedom translates into economic emancipation. A UDM government commits itself to: use a manageable budget deficit and government debt to create jobs and stimulate the economy. implement the necessary checks and balances to ensure that government (i.e. taxpayer’s) money is not wasted. streamline the cabinet by appointing fewer ministers as part of cutting costs. review the public sector wage bill. stop the over-utilisation of consultants by appointing competent staff. stop the current practice of appointing individuals, who did not make it as public representatives, as so-called “advisors”. standardise the value of perks (e.g. vehicles) across the board for ministers, deputy-ministers, directors general, mayors and traditional leaders, etc. take action against any government employee found guilty of corruption, instead of rewarding them with ambassadorial posts. Infrastructure development Well-targeted strategic infrastructure development is critical for the proper functioning of the economy. It is the cornerstone of sustainable social and economic development. The ruling party’s infrastructure development programme is not properly planned and fails to address past imbalances and backlogs. For instance, while government has budgeted and approved more than R800 billion over the next few years for infrastructure development, very little of this is allocated to rural areas and other previously disadvantaged communities in the townships, informal settlements and peri-urban areas. As a result, the infrastructure in these areas is in a state of disrepair. This causes people to migrate to large cities in search of better job prospects and better living conditions. Even as new infrastructure is being put in place there is a decay of the old infrastructure due to the lack of maintenance plans. In many parts of this country the only way to access service delivery requires that a citizen be a card-carrying member of a particular political party. A UDM government commits itself to: draft a “map of infrastructure development” with emphasis on transparency and closer cooperation between government and the people. invest in the economy through a properly planned infrastructure development programme and other large scale, government funded programmes that are community-driven and applies good environmental practice. empower communities by investing in the transfer of knowledge and skills to create jobs. ensure that South Africans have access to passable roads, electricity, water irrigation and reticulation as well as a railway network. allocate a significant amount of resources to infrastructure development in rural areas and previously disadvantaged communities e.g. build roads and dipping tanks, fence grazing lands and mealie fields and adequate sanitation. ensure proper consultation with the affected communities before projects are rolled out. eradicate the culture of rolling out infrastructure development and basic service delivery to people who belong to a certain political party. Small business development Development of small businesses has been accepted worldwide as the backbone of global economic growth and development while simultaneously creating more jobs. Small businesses in developed countries contribute more than 50% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in Asia they contribute around 40%. In South Africa, too little has been done to reduce the costs and administrative burden for existing small businesses. As a result, our small businesses contribute around 30% to the GDP. Ironically, government’s delayed or even non-payment to small businesses has contributed to their collapse. The UDM believes that a growth rate of 6 to 8% is required to reduce unemployment. To do this we need to unleash the creative spirit inherent in South Africans to create jobs. UDM also plans to reverse the trend of shrinking numbers of South Africans in the retail sector that is gradually being taken over by foreign nationals with little, if any, assistance provided to South Africans to compete effectively in this sector. A UDM government commits itself to: develop a policy that will ensure a fair system where entrepreneurs and small business owners, from inside and outside of South Africa, can do business harmoniously. do more to promote small business development to ensure that our citizens become wealth creators rather than employment seekers. introduce capacity building and training programmes for aspirant and existing entrepreneurs as a way to encourage people to start new businesses and to improve the competitiveness of existing ones. identify and remove obstacles that inhibit small business development. create access to capital, for example, via development banks that assist sector specific entrepreneurs. facilitate access to new markets for their products. provide tax incentives for businesses that create jobs and specifically those in labour intensive industries. empower and create opportunities for unemployed graduates in beneficiation programmes. review labour policies to reflect the desire to stimulate SMME growth. Women empowerment There is no equitable partnership between men and women. There needs to be a social paradigm shift about gender-equality that should usher in a new generation of women and men working together to create a humane world order. The violent crime perpetrated against women and children should be addressed. Women must be assisted to establish co-ops as part of economic empowerment and job creation. A UDM government commit itself to: ensure the participation of women in development processes with sustainable investment in capacity building through education, health and nutrition programmes. eliminate all obstacles that limit women’s access to wealth creation, decision-making, education, health care services and productive employment. a zero-tolerance system to punish, deter and rehabilitate offenders while supporting and restoring dignity and justice to victims. Youth empowerment According to the 2014 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risk Report, we have the third highest youth unemployment rate in the world. It estimates that more than 50% of young South Africans do not have jobs – this includes the semi-skilled and skilled youth. A UDM government commits itself to: focus on initiatives to get our youth working through education, skills development and vocational training. initiate job creation and opportunities for young South Africans, by radically reducing the red-tape that stifles entrepreneurship, introducing targeted incentives and supporting programmes for small businesses started by young people. employ semi-skilled youth as “green battalions” in projects to remove alien species, combat soil erosion, help with afforestation projects and introduce sustainable subsistence farming. empower our youth to develop micro-businesses, where they could for instance recycle, maintain schoolyards, parks, cemeteries, sporting facilities, etc. arrange youth mentorship and exchange programmes through bilateral agreements with other countries. Empowering people with disabilities There is a whole department dedicated to improve the lives of women, youth and people with disabilities and yet those with disabilities are treated as the step-child of this department. There are very few people with disabilities who are employed, not only in the public service, but also in the private sector. A UDM government commits itself to: develop policies based on the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as described in http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml. conduct regular audits to ascertain whether the public and private sectors are fair in giving people with disabilities the same opportunities as able persons. Industrial Policy In 1995, government embarked on a massive trade liberalisation programme that dramatically reduced trade tariffs in a wide range of labour intensive sectors, such as textile, agriculture and mining industries. This resulted in massive job losses as our core industries and labour intensive sectors had to compete with countries where such industries are heavily subsidised. Even worse, key strategic industries e.g. the steel industry (Iscor) were unbundled and sold to the private sector that now sells the same products for infrastructure development at inflated prices. The governments of the most powerful economies in the world, such as America, China and India and various other countries in Europe recognise the responsibility they have to their citizens. They do not hesitate to intervene in their economies by protecting local jobs and businesses. A government that proposes anything less does not care, and is not willing to accept responsibility, for the welfare and prosperity of its people. If you drive around in Ekurhuleni (in Gauteng), which used to be a hub of the steel industry, one only sees the scars of neglect and disuse because it could not compete with subsidised industries in other parts of the world. The ruling party is obsessed with the concept of beneficiation – this is however mere lip service. How ironic that, we export raw materials only to import the final products. The ruling party thus creates jobs for people in other countries. There are far too many instances where major developments, such as big mining projects, start in areas without the necessary consultation with the affected communities. What makes matters worse is that these companies, after pillaging the resources and damaging the environment, disappear into thin air. A UDM government commits itself to: do more – a responsible government cannot depend on market forces alone and fail to intervene in the economy while the quality of the life of its citizens deteriorates and millions of our people live in abject poverty and under-development review South Africa’s international trade tariffs and duties to protect developing local industries, encourage exports, increase international trade and support inbound tourism. create an environment that is conducive for the manufacturing sector and industry to flourish. create Export Processing Zones (EPZ) or Industrial Development Zones (IDZ) on a trial basis in some of our coastal provinces or in identified industrial areas with the purpose of creating jobs. reduce the red tape that stifles the ability of domestic companies to export their products to the rest of the world. develop support programmes for the labour intensive sectors and give special attention to those that create job opportunities for all South Africans. Mining There has recently been some interest in the subject of the nationalisation of mines which raised tensions to a boiling point. This situation resulted in great instability, not only amongst mine workers and their employers, but it also negatively impacted on South Africa as an investment destination. The complete UDM policy regarding minerals and energy is available on www.udm.org.za. A UDM government commits itself to: Make the mining topic one of the major points of discussion at the Economic Indaba which the UDM proposes. Some of the matters to be discussed are: the question of ownership of land, mines and mineral wealth. the allocation of mining rights to the ruling elite and its implications. socio-economic conditions of the workers and the communities that settle close to where the jobs are. the controversial issue of mineworkers’ access, or lack thereof, to a provident fund worth billions of rands. the unions’ investment arms and the pay-out of dividends to workers who have contributed to the fund. the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate how these workers’ monies had been invested, especially in cases where the workers were retrenched, had retired or passed away. Quality Education Our education system has become a political football and the solution lies in firm leadership. We need to restore authority to government and not teacher unions. Government spends approximately 6% of GDP on education. Despite the significant amount of resources ploughed into our basic education system, South Africa’s quality of education is very poor. This means that our children do not get the basic education they deserve thus leaving them ill-equipped to find employment. The 2013 matric pass rate of 78.2% is meaningless when one considers that the majority of matriculants can barely read and/or write. This scenario worsens when one considers that 60% of learners drop out before they reach Grade 10. Another factor that puts our learners and teachers at a disadvantage is the chopping and changing of education policy with the appointment of each new minister. Just when the teachers master a new curriculum, they have to start from scratch and in turn the learners suffer. Our tertiary institutions do not provide fair access to deserving students. They suffer from high drop-out rates and do not produce enough graduates to fill the skills shortages in the economy. The Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) have failed spectacularly – after 20 years they have produced nothing more than employment opportunities for the ruling party cadres who could not find jobs elsewhere. A UDM government commits itself to: translate the large education budget into quality education by developing and maintaining an education system that produces school-leavers and graduates that are equipped with job-related and life-skills. get back to the basics i.e. teachers must teach; learners must learn. free public education until Grade 12. career orientation and education will be enhanced to ensure that children can determine their future careers timeously and can reach the various goals on the way towards their employment. involve all the relevant stakeholders in curriculum development. design curriculum in such a way that it adapts to changing needs of society. it is important that the vital pillars of our education policy do not depend on the whims of one party’s minister, but are agreed to by all. improve the quality of the educational infrastructure, such as the physical infrastructure, teaching material and human resources. increase spending on the provision, development and maintenance of school buildings, water, sanitation and electricity. instil discipline, order, neatness and productivity. address the lack of commitment reflected in the neglect of the dress code by teachers and pupils as well as vandalism and truancy. ensure that crime, especially sexual harassment and abuse, at schools is met with zero-tolerance. Offenders will be removed from the institution and will face the full might of the law. foster a culture of learning and discipline with the reintroduction of regular school inspections. depoliticise the management and administration of schools by unions. review the entrance requirement as well as the curriculum for teacher training. include self-employment as a viable alternative within career guidance. Implement specific entrepreneurship education and training in the curricula of both basic and higher education institutions. review structures and curricula at FET colleges to ensure that they become more practical in addressing the needs of learners who aspire to be future entrepreneurs. restructure the SETAs by appointing the right people to the right positions. Feeding South Africa – Food Security and Rural Development The degradation of household food security in the country is of great concern. Though household food security is not the sole responsibility of the agricultural sector, it is vital that the production of food is stimulated to fulfil the needs of a fast growing population. Rural revitalisation and economic stagnation Many rural areas are in crisis with regard to resources and service delivery. Rural economies have imploded. The majority of people live in abject poverty. A major flaw of economic policy in the past 20 years has been the failure of the ruling party to bring infrastructure in rural areas and townships on par with that in the cities. People migrate to the large cities fuelling the chronic housing shortage; millions are forced to live in shacks because the infrastructure in the cities cannot keep pace with the demands of rapid urbanisation. Commercial farmers and their concerns In the past South Africa was net exporters of food and today we are net importers. It is extremely difficult for our commercial farmers to compete against their counterparts in other counties, because those countries make great effort to support their farmers. The safety and security of those who live in rural areas and far-flung areas of our country is of great concern. Poor border control and stock theft have a negative impact on our farming communities. Rural poverty is compounded by government’s neglect of development, alienation of farmers, communities and traditional leaders alike. In some instances land lies fallow or commercially viable farms has become unproductive because the new owner/s of the land do not have the necessary knowledge and/or capacity to run those farms. A UDM government commits itself to: use agriculture as a tool to expand our economy, create jobs and generate wealth, especially in rural areas. prioritise the needs of South African farmers by developing policies to subsidise farmers that will enable them to fairly compete against their international counterparts. We will also protect the South African market from the dumping of such subsidised products. reverse this situation through a concerted effort to stimulate agriculture and related businesses as well as using them as platforms for development in rural areas. create the necessary infrastructure that will create jobs and encourage the growth of more employment-creating agricultural-related enterprises, to ensure that the migration to urban areas is slowed down. accelerate the distribution of land in line with the UDM’s Land Policy and to encourage people to return to, or remain in, rural areas and start productive enterprises there. build infrastructure to support agricultural activity, such as irrigation schemes that have been proven to be successful in the past. establish “One-Stop Agricultural Service Centres” in rural areas where emerging farmers can ask for advice, veterinary services, access the necessary tools and knowledge to run their farms as businesses and also have a market for their produce. introduce special units specifically involved in rural safety through the deployment of reserve forces and other government security agencies to provide safety and enhance border control to curb stock-theft and smuggling. streamline the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to speed up the processes and restore land to their rightful owners, because the delays causes uncertainty and tension. The role of traditional leaders in development Traditional leaders have been side-lined for the past 20 years and they could have, and should, play an important role in rural revitalisation. In rural municipalities tensions between traditional leaders and councillors have reached boiling point, because traditional leaders have been stripped of the power and the deference they are entitled to. Many of them feel that they are only given recognition at election time. The houses that were established for traditional leaders are reduced to talk-shops and any decisions made by such bodies are not taken seriously by the ruling party. There is no standardisation in terms of the packages of the traditional leaders of the various tribes. Quality Healthcare Currently the poor are still disadvantaged in regards their access to, and the quality of, the primary health care they receive. It remains a sad fact of daily life for many South Africans who have to travel long distances to the nearest clinic or hospital. Hygiene at many clinics and hospitals are at unacceptable levels and must be addressed immediately. Provision and medicine stock at many clinics and hospitals fall far short of the basic requirements. The current spread of infrastructure and services prevent medicine from reaching hospitals and clinics. Inefficient mechanisms in the current system deprives patients, especially those in a critical state or in emergency, from being treated timeously and/or referred to institutions that are able to deal with their needs. At the moment patients are forced to wait hours and sit in long queues before they are assisted by staff that have a dismissive attitude towards their fellow humans in need. A UDM government commits itself to: bring health care infrastructure and services closer to the poor. improve public health facilities and services, including the maintenance of hospitals and clinics. ensure that all hospitals and clinics are properly stocked with medicines and other medical supplies and/or equipment. ensure that allocated money is spent on the services for which it is intended. No “savings” on budgets or rollovers will be tolerated. Accounting officers shall comply with the principle that under-spending is worse than over-spending. ensure that all doctors and nurses at primary healthcare facilities are properly trained, qualified and well compensated. streamline referral procedures to ensure that patients who require emergency or specialised care receive speedy and appropriate treatment at the appropriate medical facility. ensure that the primary health care system is tailored to respond effectively to the major diseases threatening the South African population such as tuberculosis (especially drug-resistant tuberculosis), cholera and malaria which are preventable illnesses and/or that can be treated. ensure that nutrition education and family planning form a basic part of primary health care, recognising that appropriate education and training in these areas will have a major impact on the well-being of communities. ensure that the Department of Health is part of an integrated response to alcohol and drug abuse, recognising that substance abuse contributes to high levels of violence, death and the breakdown of South African society. Justice cluster – safety and security There is no synergy between the various partners in the justice cluster i.e. intelligence, police, the courts and correctional services. The only time when we see any semblance of synergy is when they act in defence of the ruling elite. For many years the ruling party has refused to acknowledge the magnitude of the crime crisis facing South Africa (aside from the occasional outburst from a minister or two which never makes a difference). A world-class nation can exist only in a productive and safe environment that encourages enterprises to flourish whilst attracting local and foreign investments. It is extreme folly to parachute a national police commissioner, with no policing experience, to command the South African Police Force (SAPS) and that has a negative impact on discipline and morale. A UDM government commits itself to: restore civil order as an immediate priority. develop a doctrine that ensures that our police service functions according to a set of rules that are in line with the values enshrined in our Constitution. enhance coordination between the ministries and departments of justice, the police service, correctional service, defence and national intelligence. improve border and rural security by making use of a re-empowered, reorganised and retrained reserve force of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to patrol our borders. transform certain units of the South African Army into smaller, disciplined, professional and well-trained forces that are able to rapidly expand and mobilise when required i.e. rhino poaching. implement a crime eradication strategy. encourage communities to participate in fighting crime through the establishment of neighbourhood watches, etc. improve the relationship between the public and police in order to enhance intelligence gathering. establish a baseline information system (database) for strategic planning around crime and policing issues. ensure that SAPS encourage the best and the brightest to rise through the ranks; thereby ensuring that the people who command the police force understand policing. promote regional cooperation between South Africa and its neighbouring countries. Such cooperation will, amongst others, include improved extradition treaties to ensure that criminals do not cross our borders with impunity. Protecting the Environment The issue of the environment is of critical national and international importance. The threats to the survival of our environment and the people who inhabit it makes the issue a top national priority. The practice of proper use of land and resources is understood, but high levels of poverty in many parts of the country have led to the destruction of the environment; soil erosion, water pollution and widespread deforestation. As a result, desertification is threatening our country. It is critical that we uplift the poor and rescue our environment from permanent destruction. At the same time storms and adverse weather are becoming commonplace due to global climate change and this further exacerbates the threat to our environment. The socio-economic implications of the destruction or degradation of our environment imposes a serious obligation on everybody to play his or her part to protect our environment. Environmental concerns require a holistic and non-political approach because it affects all players, irrespective of social standing. Any activity by any person that harms the environment impacts on the lives of all the people of South Africa. The task of saving our environment calls for the elevation of the problem as a priority that warrants a “Marshall Plan” to save our natural heritage. Such a plan should identify, build and reward individuals, institutions and community-based organisations to rescue and conserve our environment. Here a specific opportunity exists to make use of the many community radio stations, which are doing sterling work on reflecting community issues and are well-placed to raise awareness about environmental, health and the related issues. Government advertisements would also help to make these stations economically viable and break the artificial advertising monopoly of the SABC. Community radio programmes would help with the broadening of knowledge, awareness of environmental issues and encourage commitment to its protection as well as development to show the poor who may have previously viewed issues of environment as a preoccupation of the wealthy. It must be made known to all our people that environmental concerns and strategies are geared towards the improvement of the quality of lives of all our people without exception. We must defuse the potential conflict between the imperatives of conservation and those of resource-poor communities. We need to link conservation with socio-economic development by allowing communities to have sustainable access to the life-supporting and income-earning potential of nature reserves and other protected areas. Population, resources and land distribution will remain areas of challenge and opportunity. The environmental and socio-political needs must deal with the material and perceived legacy of apartheid. In environmental management terms, this might mean a shift in focus to living and working environments and land reform. The UDM supports sustainable environmental development, in other words, we want that the prosperity we create today to not leave future generations without useful resources. The UDM believes that, through the implementation of bio-diversity programmes thousands of jobs can be created – it is possible to generate jobs and business opportunities whilst being environmentally responsible. A UDM Government will pursue the following objectives: Implementation of tax incentives to encourage the private sector and other institutions to invest in the development of technologies for conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity programmes. Similarly more active enforcement of the environmental law is required. Individuals or organisations that contravene these laws must be penalised. The massive number of environmental laws and regulations must immediately be consolidated into one concise and effective law. In South Africa in particular, and in the world in general, we face three major environmental crises: climate change, water scarcity and the energy crisis. These three challenges pose massive threats and require a concerted national and international response. A UDM Government would be a champion of these causes locally, on the continent and in international forums. Electoral Reform Political accountability is at the heart of fully-functioning democracy. The current proportional representation (PR) system means that elected leaders are accountable solely to their party bosses and not to the people who voted them into office. We need to be discard the PR system sooner rather than later. In addition the current practice where political parties impose their choice of president on the nation is profoundly undemocratic. A UDM government commits itself to: move towards a mixed electoral system that draws from the strengths of both the proportional and constituency based electoral systems. The first major step we will take is the introduction of constituencies into the PR system to ensure that politicians have a specific geographically-defined community they represent. change the electoral laws to allow for a separately elected President, as is the case in many democracies across the globe in that way we will put the power back in the hands of the voters.
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26 Apr, 2004
National and Provincial Elections 2004
Better Future Plan UDM Manifesto 2004 MESSAGE FROM BANTU HOLOMISA – FREEDOM FOR ALL Dear Fellow South African This year we celebrate ten years of freedom. We understand freedom as the ability of individuals and groups to make choices and pursue their aspirations freely. This includes choices such as where to live, what work to choose and where to engage in it, where and what to learn, where and what business to pursue, and many others. This means that the level of freedom depends on the socio-economic conditions. The better the socioeconomic conditions, the greater the freedom of citizens to pursue their aspirations and address their concerns. Our democratic Constitution seeks to guarantee our freedom, but this can only be achieved if the socioeconomic environment allows the Bill of Rights to become a reality for all South Africans. Freedom is not just a political condition; freedom is also a social and economic condition. Political freedom, without social and economic freedom is a hollow concept. Has the political freedom gained in 1994 translated into social and economic freedom? Freedom of choice will be the key symbol of our celebration of ten years of liberation. South Africans will exercise their freedom of choice to determine who must govern, both and national and provincial levels. This political choice will not only determine who governs, but also which political party is best suited to keep an eye on the ruling party. This party will use Parliament to ensure that the ruling party sticks to the mandate it received and that it serves the entire nation, not just those that voted for it. After all, the entire nation, irrespective of party political support, contribute to the funding of Government through taxes and are equal under the Constitution. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is ready, willing and able to fulfill either of these roles: to govern and deliver, or to hold the ruling party accountable to the citizens of this country. The UDM is seven years old, but already has established itself as a significant player on the political landscape. In less than two years since our launch the UDM participated in the 1999 elections and gained 16 seats in Parliament, and representation in six provincial legislatures. In the process the UDM became the official opposition in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo legislatures. The UDM has given value to all South Africans who voted for us in the 1999 elections, and to those who did not vote for us but who are committed to the democratic principles of good governance. Three examples of this are: The floor-crossing legislation When the ruling party, with the support of the DA and NNP introduced the floor-crossing legislation, it was the UDM that took the fight for the rights of voters to the highest court. Voters need to ask these parties why they supported this law, and thereby gave the right to a single individual politician to nullify the votes of tens of thousands of people. The Arms Deal The UDM is amongst those who took the lead in challenging the Arms Deal that appears to be a hotbed of corruption and fraud. Eventually certain Government officials were found to have been guilty of improper behaviour. Even now, the matter is not resolved, with powerful people linked to the ANC facing court trials, and a cloud of suspicions hanging over Deputy President, Jacob Zuma. The Hefer Commission came about as a direct result of these unresolved matters relating to the Arms Deal. The UDM will continue to pursue this matter because corruption cannot be tolerated. We disagree with the wastage of billions of Rands of weapons of war when the real enemies of our country are unemployment, poverty, crime and HIV/AIDS. This is part of the UDM’s commitment to accountable and responsible government. We have the resolve and commitment to fight corruption, and take on any party, no matter its history or power, to ensure that South Africans have the ethical governance that they deserve. Taxi Recapitalisation When Government announced its Taxi Recapitalisation programme most South Africans were justifiably relieved that the existing taxi fleet would be upgraded and the industry would be democratically run. However it quickly became evident that Government was bungling the process, not sticking to its own deadlines and blaming taxi owners for Government’s mistakes. Government was unable to answer commuters’ questions about affordability and availability of services, whilst owners’ questions about equity remained unanswered. Government refused to apply relevant safety regulations to existing makes of vehicles, and offered owners a small scrapping fee regardless of the roadworthiness of their current vehicle, thus making it virtually impossible for owners to afford the new vehicles. It became apparent that this process was in danger of becoming a self-enrichment scam for the elite, at the expense of commuters and black business people in the industry. It would be wrong for an industry that supplies millions of people with transport and tens of thousands of people with jobs to be undermined in this fashion. The UDM together with most of the taxi associations actively campaigned for Government to address these concerns, since Government itself had unreasonably delayed the process and was making it impossible for the industry to transform. As a result Government recently agreed to postpone the deadlines to ensure that the Taxi Recapitalisation is properly implemented and that commuters are not deprived of services whilst thousands of entrepreneurs in the industry are bankrupted. These are but some examples of the UDM’s active role in national politics and the further consolidation of South Africa’s democracy. Being a viable, trustworthy and reliable opposition party is a demonstration that we are equally up to the task of governing. Fundamental values The UDM and its leadership understand the fundamental values that South Africans apply when choosing their government. We understand that: – South Africans want a sense of ownership of their government. – South Africans want direct control of their government. – South Africans want an accountable, ethical and incorruptible government. – South Africans want mutual trust between them and their government. – South Africans want to be in charge of their own destiny. – South Africans want a say in the management of the country’s resources. A vote, at national or provincial level, for the UDM is a vote for these values. Ten years after the achievement of political freedom we need to ask how free are South Africans. How much has freedom grown for South Africans of all races and creeds since 1994? Reviewing ten years of freedom We must deliberately measure our progress since 1994, because true freedom is not a once-off event but an ongoing process. The UDM understands that the growth of freedom depends on certain basic conditions that affect citizens’ physical ability but are also directly linked to their dignity, including the following: Jobs. Without productive employment and a decent living wage people will not be able to experience the fruits of freedom. In the long term, food security can only be achieved and hunger beaten if people have jobs Education. Without knowledge and skills people cannot make informed decisions and achieve their goals, and so enhance their livelihoods. Health. People need to be healthy and have adequate health care in order to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of a democratic society. Security. People who feel under siege from criminals in their homes, neighbourhoods and places of work cannot fully concentrate on pursuing their aspirations. Property ownership. Without ownership of land and property people are unable to participate actively in the economic and social life of the country. The UDM understands that if these conditions are lacking or inadequate, freedom for all has not yet been achieved. Unemployment and poverty is a direct contradiction of freedom. Real freedom – political, social and economic – provides dignity to a nation. On the other hand, unemployment and poverty undermines it. Similarly, crime, rampant HIV/AIDS and inadequate education are all factors that undermine freedom. Whilst Apartheid undermined the majority’s dignity and freedom, the current levels of unemployment, poverty, crime and HIV/AIDS are taking many South Africans back to that same state of hardship and suffering experienced under Apartheid. Therefore, when we assess South Africa since 1994 we need to ask: Are South Africans more free now that ten years ago? The answers are well-documented and visible all over our country. Despite major strides that have been taken: unemployment is rife; poverty and homelessness are evident everywhere, HIV/AIDS affects millions, crime is holding people hostage in their own homes, education fails to provide adequate skills for employment and the majority are still without property and landless. This is a clear indication that in ten years we have not seen the advancement of our freedom that we deserve. Whilst real freedom still eludes the majority a new black elite connected to the ANC are reaping the rewards of freedom. The ANC’s Black Economic Empowerment amounts to real freedom only for their political comrades. Real freedom is about equal opportunities for all, not immoral wealth for the few. Women, youth and people with disabilities The UDM is particularly aware that these challenges of unemployment, poverty, crime, HIV/AIDS and Education have a greater impact on some sectors of our society. It is especially women, youth and people with disabilities that are more prone to suffering under these conditions. A society that claims to be democratic and free but allows its women, youth and people with disabilities to be left behind is immoral and unjust. Especially the youth are faced with huge obstacles and whilst many of them are trapped in unemployment, it is impossible for them to prepare for their role as future leaders of our society. It is It is our task to lay a foundation for them, a better future, in order that they may deliver for their children not merely a better, but a greater future. Women, Youth and people with disabilities will be specifically included in the UDM’s government programmes/policies to deal with unemployment, crime, HIV/AIDS and Education. The current Umsombovu Fund must be scrapped and replaced with a mechanism that is not used solely for ANC aligned youth groups and people. Stringent measures to stop crime and abuse perpetrated against women and children must be implemented. UDM’s Mission Real freedom for all is the UDM’s mission. The achievement of real freedom for all can only be gained through massive socio-economic delivery. In this manifesto we outline the UDM’s proposals for achieving this massive socio-economic delivery. Our point of departure is that this massive socio-economic delivery can only be achieved by a Government that is willing to invest in its own economy and people. This is a philosophy that says Government must do more. It stands in stark contrast with the thinking of other parties that hold the view that Government must do less and everyone else must do more. This manifesto is the UDM’s pledge of commitment. We offer no “contract”, no fine print, no loopholes and no excuses. Whilst policy issues on jobs, poverty, crime and HIV/AIDS will be central to the debates during this election campaign, I wish to place the issue of responsibility and integrity on the agenda alongside these policy discussions. I believe that it is time for all political leaders to be held accountable for the promises they make. I believe it is time for responsibility and integrity among all political leaders to become the rule rather than the exception. I believe that the voters should judge all political parties, not just on their policies, but on their leaders’ integrity and willingness to accept responsibility. The UDM is an established and growing organisation with the vision as well as capable women and men from all races who are bound together in their quest to achieve real freedom for all. As South Africa embarks on the second decade of political freedom, the UDM undertakes to translate that into social and economic freedom for all. We need a government that puts South Africa and its people first. You deserve a Government that does more! Yours sincerely President, United Democratic Movement THE ECONOMY, JOBS AND POVERTY Fundamentally the UDM is convinced that the Economy, Jobs and Poverty are inter-linked issues. We believe that Jobs are the ultimate weapon against Poverty and that the Economy must be managed to ensure the achievement of this goal. Government has a responsibility to intervene and protect the South African economy and South African jobs when necessary. Whilst Free Market Capitalism is the best economic system developed by humanity, it is still fraught with weaknesses and failures that must be actively managed. South Africans are suspicious and mistrust Government because of perceptions that Government is not equitably distributing the resources of the country. A new privileged political elite exclusively enjoys the resources. There is no consensus on a macro-economic policy that can transform the economy in a manner that could create and spread wealth wider and improve the lot of disadvantaged majority. There are in particular concerns about the inadequacies and contradictions of the fiscal and industrial policies. The harsh reality is that we are suffering from: – a 42% rate of unemployment. – the economy is unable to create jobs. – more than a million jobs have been destroyed. – economic growth is too slow to absorb new entrants into the labour market. The prospects of reversing this dismal trend appear far-fetched under the present economic policies and performance of the ruling party. Consequently the gains of liberation in 1994 have not translated into real economic freedom for all. Our economy suffers from jobless growth due to the confusion created by an ambivalent Tripartite Alliance (ANC, Cosatu & SACP). This ruling clique preaches elimination of unemployment in the streets and legislate retrenchments and greater unemployment in parliament. The governments of the USA, Europe, China, India and most others recognise the responsibility that they have towards their citizens and intervene to protect their domestic jobs and businesses. A Government that proposes anything less does not care about its people, and is not willing to accept responsibility for their welfare and prosperity. During the UDM National Congress of 2001, the UDM adopted the policy of responsible government intervention in the economy through infrastructure development to create jobs. A UDM Government will focus on job creation and stimulating economic growth, investor confidence and efficient service delivery, but will be equally aware, and willing, to responsibly intervene in the economy to open up business and employment opportunities for all South Africans. Because South Africans deserve to have an input in how the economy is run and how job creation is pursued, the UDM proposes the establishment of a Presidential Council on Planned Sustainable Development representing all stakeholders in society, not just Government, Business and Labour only. This forum will afford broader society the opportunity to advise a UDM Government on issues related to the economy, infrastructure development and job creation. THE BROKEN PROMISES OF THE PAST TEN YEARS – In 1994 under RDP hundreds of thousands of jobs and massive development was promised. – In 1996 GEAR promised hundreds of thousands of jobs with its inception. – In 1998 The Presidential Jobs Summit promised hundreds of thousands of jobs. – In 1999 under the Arms Deal 65 000 jobs were promised. – The 2003 Growth and Development Summit promised jobs. BUT IN 10 YEARS MORE THAN A MILLION JOBS WERE DESTROYED! UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY UNDERMINES THE PEOPLE’S FREEDOM! To create jobs, strengthen the economy and alleviate poverty, a UDM Government will: Create jobs through Small Business Development. A UDM Government will assist South Africans to create their own wealth whilst creating jobs for others. Launch Planned Sustainable Development programmes (like building roads, schools and clinics as well as providing water, electricity and creating irrigation schemes) to create jobs on a large scale and make communities economically and socially viable. Implement a Manageable Budget Deficit so that government can responsibly intervene in the economy by investing in Planned Sustainable Development programmes. In other words a UDM Government will lend money, if necessary, to finance these job creation programmes. Involve all stakeholders in society in growing the economy, creating jobs and developing infrastructure. A new body, the Presidential Council on Planned Sustainable Development, representing all stakeholders, will monitor infrastructure development and job creation and advise a UDM Government. Pursue an economic growth rate of 8% within five years, which is necessary and achievable. Support progressive taxes – taxing those who can afford it more – so that the poor can take their rightful economic and social place in society and help contribute to tax revenue and the success of South Africa. We propose that 1% of income tax you already pay (R1 billion per year) should be equally divided as additional funding that will be spent directly on Skills Creation and Crime Prevention in order to address these urgent concerns. Implement new supportive measures for South African industries and businesses to excel in domestic and international trade. All international trade deals will, in the first instance, serve the interests of South African workers and businesses. Recognise that education and skills development is pivotal to the long-term success of any economic strategy. A UDM Government will improve Sectoral Education and Training Agencies, make schools more skills-orientated and focus on literacy and numeracy. Embark on an intensive skills training programme in the civil service to enhance the quality, speed and efficiency of all Government services, because the success of all Government programmes is dependent upon qualified and motivated civil servants. Target tourism and agriculture as industries that have massive economic growth and job creating potential. Initiate immediate poverty alleviation. We support a Basic Service Subsidy to assist poor people to afford basic rates. Furthermore, a comprehensive food parcel system operated with smart-cards will be implemented, so that poor households can use the smart-card to receive a minimum of food and basic household goods every month. In addition, a UDM Government will address the current discrimination against rural areas in the provision of social grants and housing subsidies. Ensure that credit bureaus are strictly licensed and controlled, and current blacklisting practices will be abolished. A proper system will be legislated, based on ratings, and bureaus will be allowed only to report a person’s rating and no other private or personal details. Every person will have the right to contest their credit rating and the information it is based on. Implement Equal Economic Empowerment in an effort to genuinely help all South Africans, especially those who are economically marginalised. This must replace the current government’s Black Economic Empowerment policy that has become a buzzword for self-enrichment by a new elite. The emphasis of Equal Economic Empowerment will be focused on industries that create jobs, as opposed to the current Black Economic Empowerment policy that consists of merely handing over shares and stock options to a small elite that does not grow the economy or create jobs. Equal Economic Empowerment will be about growing the economic cake, instead of just giving a bigger slice of the current cake to a select few. Under fiscal policy a UDM Government will: Maintain real interest rates at internationally competitive levels, while constantly guarding against an unsustainably high Rand exchange rate. Whilst we recognise that interest rate volatility can be caused by international trends such as the strength of other currencies, there are also domestic factors. Interest rate volatility is often the result of domestic factors such as crime, corruption, rampant HIV/AIDS and the slide to a one-party state. These factors undermine the image of South Africa in the eyes of investors and currency traders. Monetary policy does not exist in a vacuum, but is directly affected by the perceived stability of the country. Therefore a UDM Government will actively address these issues to ensure monetary stability. Constantly review South Africa’s international trade tariffs and duties to protect developing local industries, encourage exports, increase international trade and support inbound tourism. Adapt fiscal policies to suit the particular circumstances in South Africa as a developing nation. Blindly imitating neo-liberal policies – that the developed world themselves do not follow strictly – is damaging our economy. Policies that directly stabilize the cost of strategic commodities such as oil will be preferred. To create jobs and build infrastructure, a UDM Government will: Establish a new body called the Presidential Council on Planned Sustainable Development to guide planning and coordination of these Sustainable Development programmes aimed at building infrastructure and creating jobs. Business, labour, civil society groups and affected communities will be represented at national and provincial level on the Council. This will ensure that proper consultation takes place in the development of infrastructure. The Department of Public Works will play a central role. Implement this strategy, whilst creating jobs, with the aim to turn all communities into productive and safe environments that will improve the quality of life of all South Africans, especially those who are economically deprived and marginalised. Ensure that security of tenure for homeowners will underpin all housing intervention strategies. This will reduce the risk of evictions and make it easier to provide communities with essential services. Ensure that Planned Sustainable Development programmes recognise that South Africa can be divided into two economic parts, urban and rural, with different needs. Follow an aggressive national recruiting campaign to reach out to all the unemployed and informal sector workers, in order to accommodate them in Planned Sustainable Development programmes. Ensure that every Planned Sustainable Development programme seeks to create as many jobs as possible in all its activities. The focus of these job creation efforts will be Small Business Development. A UDM Government will engage in infrastructure delivery by sub-contracting and training skilled and unskilled people to handle aspects of infrastructure construction and maintenance. It will mean that these emerging small businesses will have contracts for the period of a specific infrastructure development programme, and thereafter will have the necessary skills and experience to continue unaided as viable, privately-owned businesses. To promote Small Business Development, a UDM Government will: Place Small Business Development at the core of the UDM economic plan. A UDM Government will vigorously pursue policies that encourage and generate opportunities for those who wish to start up and grow their own businesses. Improve the coordination between national, provincial and local departments dealing with small business support. Dissolve the current financing agencies, Khula and Ntsika, and replace them with a new small business-financing agency, operating according to corporate principles. Ensure that the Department of Trade and Industry becomes visible nationally, also in rural and disadvantaged areas, by establishing Small Business advice and support centres. Ensure that the Department of Trade and Industry actively promotes small business to domestic and international consumers. Give small businesses preferential access to government tenders and will help them to secure further contracts and financing. Review all regulatory and licensing obstacles that stand in the way of Small Business Development. Small businesses will be heavily promoted in urban and rural areas, in labour intensive (manufacturing and production), knowledge-based and service orientated, industries and sectors. Ensure that the Department of Trade and Industry establishes a partnership with the South African Postal Service and Telkom, so that small businesses can harness and take advantage of modern technology at preferential rates. Ensure that we retain our developed technology and highly trained citizens, and that we take the lead in technological breakthroughs. To promote Agriculture and Land, a UDM Government will: Recognise that agriculture receives government aid in all first world countries, and will introduce subsidies and grants for farmers and emerging farmers. Provide all subsidies and grants with the overall aim of allowing farmers a fair and sustainable return on the capital invested. Aim subsidies and grants at start-up funding for commercial farmers. Encourage sound agricultural practices, because government aid will only go towards farmers that avoid wasteful and unsustainable practices. Encourage the employment of farm workers – in sectors where long-term growth is possible – by short-term subsidization of their wages, to ensure that the minimum wage is paid. Encourage beneficiaries of land redistribution to engage in commercial farming. Recognise the role and value of Traditional Leaders. Issues of land and administrative duties involving local government will include Traditional Leaders. All laws affecting Traditional Leaders and the millions of people who recognise them will be reviewed in consultation with those affected. Reverse the neglect of rural areas. It is essential to recognise the inequity of subsidizing homes in urban areas whilst, rural communities who also pay taxes receive no such subsidy. A UDM Government will ensure that rural areas receive an equitable share of subsidization aimed at agricultural activity, so that where an urban beneficiary is supported to build a home, a rural beneficiary is supported to begin farming (with for instance seed, fertilizer and implements, such as tractors). In this way people will be able to feed themselves and their families, and in the long run are placed on the path towards becoming commercial farmers. HIV/AIDS AND HEALTH ISSUES The UDM is committed to protecting and promoting the constitutional right of all South Africans to basic health care, and providing proper and immediate responses to the major health risks facing the country. Too many people in our country still cannot access proper health care. Too many clinics and hospitals have fallen into squalor. Too many people and babies have died unnecessarily of HIV/AIDS. ANC GOVERNMENT’S HIV/AIDS FAILURES HAVE LED TO: – 7 million people being infected. – Cemeteries filling up. – A growing population of AIDS orphans. – More and more households losing breadwinners and sinking into poverty. – The productive sector of the population dying at an increasing rate. – The plight of South African women worsening because they are the majority of people living with HIV/AIDS. This state of affairs means that many South Africans are condemned to a life lacking in dignity. This is a reversal of the gains of liberation, and simply undermines our hard-earned freedom. DON’T YOU DESERVE BETTER HEALTH CARE? HIV/AIDS AND POOR HEALTH CARE UNDERMINE THE PEOPLE’S FREEDOM! To improve health care, a UDM Government will: Improve health facilities, including the maintenance of hospitals and clinics. Ensure that all hospitals and clinics are properly stocked with medicines and other medical supplies. Increase the number of hospitals and clinics, and upgrade facilities to deal with the massive increase in demand due to HIV/AIDS. Ensure that all staff at primary health care facilities are properly qualified and trained. Streamline referral procedures to ensure that all patients requiring specialised care receive speedy and appropriate treatment at the relevant medical facility. Strive towards ensuring that no medical practitioner, ambulance service, hospital or clinic should be allowed to refuse treatment, aid or admission to any person based solely on his/her ability to pay. Maintain the current spending on the health budget, excluding HIV/AIDS programmes, because this would be sufficient if spent appropriately and effectively. “Savings” or budget rollovers will not be tolerated. Ensure that all persons without a private medical aid and lacking sufficient resources to pay for medical treatment are considered Government Aided Patients. In consultation with the organized medical profession, a UDM Government will negotiate fair treatment for such people and provide reasonable payment to doctors and nurses handling such cases. Such patients will receive medicine subsidized by Government. Ensure that the Primary Health care system is tailored to respond effectively to the major diseases, aside from HIV/AIDS, threatening the South African population, such as TB, Cholera and Malaria. All are preventable and can be treated. Ensure that nutritional issues and family planning forms a basic part of Primary Health care, recognising that appropriate education and training in these areas will have a major impact on the well-being of communities. Ensure that the Department of Health is part of an integrated response to alcohol and drug abuse, recognising that substance abuse contribute to high levels of violence, death and the social breakdown of South African society. To deal with HIV/AIDS, a UDM Government will: Implement and take the lead in a National Plan of Action to fight HIV/AIDS, including the implementation of a comprehensive education and awareness programme. Ensure that the National Plan of Action to deal with HIV/AIDS sets aside adequate funding for credible research into treatments and vaccines for HIV/AIDS. Make HIV/AIDS a notifiable disease, with due regard to confidentiality, to ensure that accurate and continuous information on the exact incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS is available to guide the fight against the pandemic. In partnership with business and organised labour, will prepare for the anticipated impact of HIV/AIDS, both economically and socially. Ensure that the primary health care system provides the necessary medical and counseling support to all people living with HIV/AIDS to extend and enhance their quality of life. Urgent attention will be given to the fair, equitable and universal provision of anti-Aids drugs and treatment. ACCOUNTABILITY Integrity and honesty in politics will remain under threat as long as the floor-crossing law continues to exist in its current form. Voters must remember that aside from the ANC’s openly opportunistic attitude in passing this law, that they were supported by the DA and NNP. Though these parties all pretend an immense concern for the voters’ wishes, they vigorously pursued floor-crossing for their own short-term interests. Though the DA and NNP expressed shock and cried foul when the opportunistic defection circus commenced, in truth they had been soliciting defectors for more than a year. Though the DA and NNP claimed surprise that floor-crossers did not defect on principles and that the whole exercise turned into a cynical abuse of the voters, the UDM had warned from the outset that opportunism would be the hallmark of such a law. DON’T YOU DESERVE ACCOUNTABLE PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES? UNACCOUNTABLE PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES UNDERMINE THE PEOPLE’S FREEDOM! Voters need to ask these parties why they supported this law, and thereby gave the right to a single politician to nullify the votes of tens of thousands of people. These parties must explain to voters why they supported this law when there was and is no mechanism to test the opinion of voters about each and every defection. The ANC, DA and NNP must explain to voters why anything they promise during the election should be trusted when they openly and enthusiastically support cheating the voters. The floor-crossing law must be scrapped until the electoral laws are amended so that public representatives are elected in constituencies and any floor-crossing triggers an immediate by-election. Then any floorcrosser will be voted out if he or she cannot convince the voters that abandoning their original agenda and election promises is correct. We cannot allow the situation to continue where tens of thousands of voters supporting a specific set of policies as expressed by a specific party can be ignored and their choices unmade on the whim of a single politician. Throughout the world, especially in younger democracies, it has been clearly demonstrated that floor-crossing leads to a one-party state. A vote for the UDM is your guarantee that we will be in Parliament actively pursuing this objective to increase your democratic right to determine how the country is run and by whom it is run. STRENGTHENING EDUCATION The UDM supports free public education from primary school until Grade 12, as well as more Government assistance for students studying in select subjects, such as Engineering, that will contribute to the overall economic and social development of the country. The high levels of functional illiteracy and innumeracy, and the uncoordinated attempts at skills development, together constitute a great obstacle to the development of South Africa into a flourishing, world-class nation. Foreign investors shy away from South Africa largely because of the low levels of education and skills of its workforce as a whole. Because of these challenges, the UDM supports an increased Education Budget, as well as greater resources being dedicated towards the development and maintenance of educational infrastructure. Government must dedicate a percent of income tax you already pay (half a billion Rand per year) as additional funding to assist in the vital task of Skills Creation. DON’T YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN DESERVE PROPER EDUCATION? LACK OF EDUCATION UNDERMINES THE PEOPLE’S FREEDOM! To enhance Education, a UDM Government will: Develop and maintain an Education system that produces school-leavers and graduates that are equipped with balanced job-related and life-skills to enter the job-market, economy and greater society and be productive and responsible citizens. Improve Educational Infrastructure, including human resources, physical infrastructure, as well as teaching materials. 2.1. Human Resources – Teacher training. Teachers will be properly equipped to implement the new syllabus through intensified in-service training and workshops. A UDM Government will recognise the central role of teachers in improving the quality of education in the country and pay them accordingly. 2.2. Managing Human Resources. Governing bodies and stakeholders will be empowered to monitor and measure the performance of teachers, lecturers, principals and senior management in the Department. This monitoring system will take into account indicators of access, equity, efficiency, and management delivery. 2.3. Physical infrastructure: The spending on the development and maintenance of school buildings, water, sanitation and electricity will be increased. It is immoral that the lack of potable water and adequate sanitation at schools remain reprehensibly common while about one-third of the capital budget for investment in school infrastructure goes unspent. This clearly points to a lack of capacity or commitment at Senior Management level in the present system, which a UDM Government will not tolerate. In line with UDM policy on infrastructure, education physical infrastructure will be prioritized. 2.4. Teaching materials and resources: Additional funding will be made available to ensure that every school has the required learning materials and resources. This will not be limited merely to textbooks, but will also include the provision of libraries, laboratories, computers and other relevant technologies. Increase the number of education institutions. A UDM Government will bring education institutions closer to communities, instead of the current trend of reducing the number of education institutions at high cost to the communities involved. Ensure that all education institutions promote a culture of continuous learning. Adult Basic Education and Training will be enhanced with emphasis on employable skills. Ensure that the curriculum starts from the values and rights enshrined in the Constitution, and will aim to foster respect for these rights and values, such as equality, dignity, as well as religious, racial, language and gender tolerance. 5.1. In line with international standards, learners will understand their individual duties and responsibilities in a democratic society. Every learner will understand the principles of sustainable development, including knowledge of the country’s resources and how they should be managed for this and future generations’ prosperity. 5.2. Curriculum development will be an inclusive process involving all stakeholders. It will also be a continuous process to adapt to changing needs in the job-market and society. 5.3. Career-orientated advice and education will be enhanced to ensure that children can determine their future careers timeously and can attain the various goals on the way towards their employment. 5.4. In line with the UDM’s proposed National Plan of Action to deal with HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS education and awareness will be a compulsory aspect of all curricula. Establish a Spirit of Excellence in education. It is vital that schools are places of discipline, order, neatness and productivity. The lack of commitment reflected in the neglect of the dress code by teachers and pupils, vandalism and truancy will be addressed. A UDM Government, the community, teachers and school children will unite in a spirit of excellence, determined to make every school part of the foundation of a world-class nation. 6.1. As professionals, teachers will be equipped and committed to contribute actively towards creating an atmosphere conducive to learning inside and outside the classroom. 6.2. Learners, similarly, will adopt a culture of learning and be taught to appreciate the value of time. Emphasis will be placed on discipline in order to promote learning and each school authority must develop effective and constitutionally acceptable ways to discipline pupils. 6.3. Children will be actively engaged at school during school hours. Specially trained people will deal with erratic attendance by pupils, with the involvement of their families. 6.4. Ensure that crime, especially sexual harassment and abuse, at schools receives zero-tolerance. Offenders will be removed from the institution and punished with the full might of the law.
