Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General The United Democratic Movement would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the families who had lost their loved ones in the past 3 days, due to the severe and dreich weather in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Party also sympathises with the members of different communities that their properties were destroyed by adverse weather. Some of the havoc that has been witnessed like the over flooding [...]
Honourable Speaker, Mr President and Deputy President, Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Honourable Members. 1. Introduction The United Democratic Movement (UDM) commends the fact that Parliament is debating solutions to gender-based violence, child abuse, rampant crime in general, as well as lawlessness. We are here today in response to the brave women of this country who said: “No more!”. This House and the Executive must prioritize finding solutions, even if it means that we must [...]
It is with deep despondency that the United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) heard of yet another act of serious violence at one of our institutions of learning, this time at Forest High School in Johannesburg. There were also reports of two Walter Sisulu University students who were killed at the weekend, at what is known as a “Freshers’ Braai”. South Africans have been bombarded with stories of severe bullying, sexual predation, violence and murder [...]
• Our hosts today • Dr Somadoda Fikeni, our moderator • Those who represent the various departments that sponsored this panel discussion • My colleagues from other political parties • Academics and students • Ladies and gentlemen Thank you for affording me the opportunity to have a chat with you today. 1. The UDM’s road of success The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has since its inception batted on the wicket of the ethics of [...]
Ms Thandi Nontenja The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has noted the volatile situation in Alexandra, Johannesburg. Much of this unhappiness stems from the African National Congress’ (ANC) misuse of billions of Rands allocated to the Alexandra renewal project during the era of former President Thabo Mbeki. RDP houses in Alexandra Extension 7, were apparently sold to non-South Africans and this explosive situation has the potential to spill over to xenophobic attacks. In [...]
Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General We are shocked at reports of the arrest of a 23-year-old Nelson Mandela University student, Athenkosi Zenani, who allegedly stabbed a man to death in self-defence after two Tanzanian men tried to apparently rob him and his friends. We have noted that he has since been released on bail. We too frequently see our justice system fail and leave those who are the victims of crime to their [...]
Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is distraught by the rape and murder of a female student in Engcobo in the Eastern Cape. This time the victim was young Zikho Cabeni, who was also an active member of the United Democratic Students’ Movement. This horrifying incident comes just after the country “celebrated women” in the month of August. We have learnt that nothing much has been done [...]
Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General Although some changes for the better have taken place since 1994, there are far too many areas that require vast improvement; especially when it comes to women and children; their needs and the protection of their rights. 1) Economic inequality, crushing poverty and gender discrimination are still the order of the day and most women (especially the elderly and the young) are worse off in this patriarchal [...]
Mr Bongani MsomiUDM Secretary General The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the appointment of General KJ Sitole as our new National Police Commissioner. It is good that he comes from inside the ranks of the South African Police Services (SAPS). This means that he is a career professional and would therefore have a sound understanding of the challenges that face our police personnel; unlike his predecessors who were just parachuted in. Commissioner Sitole [...]
Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) notes with shock, the rape allegations levelled against Mr Danny Jordaan. Since Ms Jennifer Ferguson’s allegations have become public, the South African Football Association (SAFA) boss has not uttered a word… to us it seems that, if there is smoke, there is fire? For someone in Jordaan’s position to even have a whiff of women abuse associated with him, is an [...]
Statement issued by Thandi Nontenja - UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) welcomes the arrest of a man suspected of having raped a female student, stabbing another and robbing them at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in the Eastern Cape. It is clear that campus security was compromised with the students being accosted in a lab at the NMU Second Avenue Campus. What is of great concern is [...]
Statement issued by Mr Bongani Msomi - UDM Secretary General The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the strongest terms condemns the police brutality displayed at a service delivery protest in Hout Bay in the Western Cape, where a fourteen-year-old boy was allegedly shot in the mouth by security forces. We are appalled that the young boy was not only shot at once, but several times! It means the officer/s had intended to do grievous bodily [...]
Statement issued by UDM Secretary General, Mr Bongani Msomi The United Democratic Movement (UDM) sends condolences to the family and friends of the brutally killed police officers while on duty. As UDM, we note with shock and concern the increasing numbers of officials killed throughout the country. The recent killings bring much alarm and it warrants that something should be done urgently. We cannot carry on as if nothing happened. The attack on police is an [...]
Statement issued by Thandi Nontenja - UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is shocked and disturbed by the recent brutal rape and murder of 11-year-old Stacha Arendse whose body was found dumped in an open field not far from her home in Tafelsig. This atrocity happened within just a few days after the body of murdered Rene Tracy Roman (13), was discovered in a house on the same street where she [...]
As the United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO), we welcome the arrest of the suspects in the murder case of the 16 year old teenage girl, Franziska Blochliger in Tokai early this week. We commend the police and everyone who made the arrest possible and we hope that the case will not drag long before the alleged perpetrators are brought to book for their horrendous action. In comparison, it is saddening to learn that not [...]
As the United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO), we are shocked and saddened to hear that no arrests have been made on the recent rape attacks against two female students at the University of Cape Town. As women we are left with a question of how many innocent women must fall victim of this horrendous crime before swift actions can be taken to put an end to this and protect them. We are even more [...]
