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07 Oct, 2025
Transport Month: Rebuild SA’s rails
Statement by Mandla Peter, United Democratic Movement Member in the National Council of Provinces As we mark Transport Month, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) extends condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the recent tragic crashes on the R81 in Ga-Sekgopo, Limpopo, and on the N2 in Phongolo, northern KwaZulu-Natal. These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a deep and ongoing crisis in South Africa’s transport and logistics system. The high number of accidents involving heavy trucks is a national disgrace. These tragedies are not only caused by reckless drivers, but also by a collapsed freight logistics network weakened by poor governance, corruption, and neglected infrastructure maintenance. Over the past decade, Transnet Freight Rail volumes have fallen by as much as 80% since 2010, due to vandalism, flood damage, safety lapses, and chronic underinvestment. As a result, our roads are overloaded with trucks carrying goods that should be moved by rail. This has destroyed critical infrastructure, constrained productivity, and claimed far too many innocent lives. The UDM has long maintained that greater investment in rail infrastructure is vital to move freight off roads, reduce accidents, and restore economic efficiency. Stricter enforcement of truck regulations, including roadworthiness, driver rest periods, and load management, is also essential and long overdue. We note the recent initiatives by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to revitalise South Africa’s rail and port systems through private sector participation in five priority corridors. This is a welcome acknowledgment of the crisis, but the pace of implementation remains far too slow. Promises must now produce tangible results such as operational freight trains, reopened corridors, and a visible reduction in the number of heavy trucks on our national roads. In March 2025, the Department of Transport announced that a second Request for Information (RFI) for private sector participation in passenger rail would be issued in May. However, weeks later, during her address at the Rand Merchant Bank Think Summit, Minister Creecy indicated that the RFI would instead be released in June. These repeated delays reflect a troubling pattern of shifting timelines and uncertainty in government planning. To date, there has been no evidence that this RFI has been issued, raising questions about the government’s seriousness in addressing the crisis Promises must translate into tangible outcomes: operational freight trains, reopened corridors, safer roads, and the visible removal of heavy trucks from national highways. The public deserves clear timelines, transparent progress reports, and measurable results. The UDM believes that rebuilding South Africa’s transport system requires: 1. Immediate prioritisation of freight rail rehabilitation, with guaranteed deadlines for corridor reopening and transparent monitoring of progress. 2. Release of the second RFI for private sector participation in passenger rail. 3. Strong public–private collaboration, not as a substitute for state accountability, but to unlock investment, technology, and logistics expertise. 4. Stricter regulation of the trucking sector, including the establishment of a national Truck Safety and Compliance Unit to enforce vehicle standards, rest periods, and load management. 5. A national road safety audit, to identify high-risk corridors, improve infrastructure, and reduce fatalities in line with the United Nations target of halving road deaths by 2030. Transport is the backbone of the economy. When it collapses, jobs, safety, and growth collapse with it. South Africa cannot continue to treat mass road deaths as routine. The time has come to shift freight back to rail, restore safety to our roads, and put accountability at the centre of every kilometre travelled. The UDM remains committed, in Parliament and beyond, to fighting for a transport system that serves the people, protects lives, and drives inclusive economic development.
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07 Oct, 2025
Assault on Kimberley police officer: gender is not the story, lawlessness is
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent assault on two police officers who were performing their duties in Kimberley’s central business district. The video of the attack, which has gone viral, is a disturbing reflection of the growing hostility toward law enforcement officers in our communities and the erosion of respect for the rule of law. The gender of the one officer should be immaterial. Whether male or female, no police officer should face physical harm or humiliation for performing their lawful duties. To highlight the gender of the one officer, as if the assault were more shocking because she is a woman, is the wrong logic entirely. It subtly reinforces the false and dangerous notion that women are somehow less capable of enforcing the law or managing conflict in the field. What happened in Kimberley is not about the strength of a woman but about the weakness of public discipline. The real issue is that criminals and ordinary citizens alike now believe they can defy, insult, and attack law enforcement officers without consequence. This is a clear sign that respect for authority and public order has collapsed. Law enforcement officers stand at the frontline of public safety. When they are attacked, it is not only an assault on an individual but on the authority of the state and on the safety of every South African. Communities cannot call for safer streets while simultaneously undermining and brutalising those tasked with maintaining them. At the same time, the South African Police Service (SAPS) must reflect deeply on how it interacts with the public. Many communities have lost confidence in law enforcement because of corruption, brutality, or neglect. SAPS must work intentionally to rebuild trust through fair, respectful, and community-based policing. Restoring public faith in the police will not only protect officers but also strengthen partnerships with residents who are often the first to see or report criminal activity. A police service that listens, serves, and respects citizens will find that respect returned. The UDM calls on SAPS to ensure that the perpetrators face the full force of the law and that consistent national measures are taken to protect officers on duty. Police morale, discipline, and safety are national priorities that require leadership and visible consequences for acts of defiance. We also urge community leaders, civic organisations, and faith-based institutions to play their part in restoring respect between citizens and the police. Building a safer country requires trust, cooperation, and the understanding that the law applies equally to everyone. No uniformed officer should ever fear for their safety while serving their nation. The time has come to restore both order and trust in South Africa’s streets.
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06 Oct, 2025
Time to end the tavern killings and restore public safety
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is deeply disturbed by the latest mass shooting at a tavern in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, where five people were killed and six others injured on Saturday night. According to police reports, armed men stormed the establishment, disarmed a patron, and opened fire indiscriminately as people tried to flee for their lives. Over the past year, South Africa has witnessed a wave of similar tragedies that have turned ordinary social spaces into crime scenes. These include mass shootings in Mokokotlong informal settlement in Orange Farm, Pienaar outside Mbombela, TK's Tavern in Sebokeng in the Vaal, the Bloemfontein CBD, Umlazi township of Durban, and the Choba informal settlement in Tshwane. In each of these incidents, lives were lost in cold blood while families were left to grieve and communities to live in fear. This growing pattern of violence shows a country under siege, where heavily armed criminals act without restraint and the state appears powerless to stop them. Communities have every reason to feel abandoned. The right to safety and security enshrined in the Constitution has become meaningless when gunmen can walk into a tavern, home, or taxi rank and slaughter innocent people without fear of arrest or prosecution. The social fabric of our nation is being torn apart by unchecked criminality, poor policing, and the proliferation of illegal firearms. The UDM believes this is not merely a policing issue but a symptom of deeper systemic failure i.e. the collapse of local intelligence networks, the erosion of visible policing, and the absence of proactive crime prevention in vulnerable communities. South Africa urgently needs a coordinated national audit of firearms in circulation, including a focused review of lost, stolen, and unaccounted-for weapons from police, military, and private security stockpiles. This audit must be supported by forensic tracing of ballistic evidence, tighter control of firearm licensing systems, and an intelligence-driven effort to dismantle illegal gun trafficking networks. The goal is not to count weapons in criminal hands, but to close the loopholes that allow them to get there. The UDM calls for: 1. A national audit of illegal firearms and a comprehensive crackdown on gun smuggling and trafficking networks feeding this violence. 2. Dedicated tavern safety and compliance units within the SAPS to monitor and protect high-risk venues, working with local business and community policing forums. 3. Immediate deployment of intelligence-led operations to disrupt organised criminal networks that use taverns and shebeens as targets or recruitment hubs. 4. A cross-departmental safety strategy led by the Ministers of Police, Small Business Development, and Social Development to strengthen community resilience and ensure responsible management of social spaces. 5. Swift justice for the victims of these massacres through fast-tracked investigations and specialised prosecution teams. As a partner in the Government of National Unity, the UDM will continue to push for urgent and coordinated reforms in policing, intelligence, and firearm control. The safety of South Africans must be treated as a national priority, and every arm of the state must be mobilised to end this cycle of violence once and for all.
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05 Oct, 2025
UDM concludes successful two-day public representatives’ workshop
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement and Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape successfully hosted a two-day capacity building workshop and engagement session for public representatives from across South Africa in Mthatha on 4 and 5 October 2025. The workshop brought together UDM public representatives from across the country, serving at national, provincial, and local levels of government, to strengthen their capacity to serve communities with excellence, accountability, and integrity. It was an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities entrusted to those who hold public office, and to renew the shared commitment to ethical leadership and responsive governance. The programme was made possible through the generous support and partnership of the Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development (ETU). The UDM extends its sincere gratitude for this valuable collaboration, which enriched the workshop and contributed meaningfully to building the capacity of our public representatives. The sessions were highly informative, engaging, and practical, focusing on good governance, effective representation, and improved service delivery. Participants engaged in robust discussions on coalition management within the Government of National Unity, the separation of powers, fiscal responsibility, and strategies to rebuild public trust in institutions. They also explored ways to deepen community engagement, strengthen oversight at all levels, and ensure that public resources are managed in the best interest of citizens. The UDM and its public representatives emerge from this workshop united and energised in their mission to promote honest, accountable governance and to serve the people effectively. Our leaders are now better equipped to translate the UDM’s vision and values into tangible results for the benefit of our people. As the nation moves toward the 2026 Local Government Elections, the UDM stands ready to play its part in advancing South Africa through principled leadership, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the service of our people. The workshop reaffirmed the UDM’s conviction that ethical governance, grounded in accountability and compassion, is the cornerstone of meaningful transformation.
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05 Oct, 2025
Post Office mismanagement: a wake-up call for real reform
Statement by Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP, UDM Deputy President and Leader in Parliament The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes with grave concern the Auditor-General’s latest findings exposing widespread financial mismanagement at the South African Post Office (SAPO). The report paints a disturbing picture of an institution crippled by irregular expenditure, poor governance, and an almost total breakdown of accountability. This confirms what the UDM has been warning for years, which is that the collapse of SAPO is not the result of underfunding, but of deep-seated mismanagement and lack of strategic direction. The figures laid bare by the Auditor-General reveal an institution that continues to haemorrhage public funds while failing to deliver even the most basic of services to South Africans. The Post Office remains insolvent, unmodernised, and incapable of performing its core mandate. Worse still, the same management failures that bankrupted SAPO are now being rewarded with additional bailouts, while thousands of workers have been retrenched or left unpaid. Treasury confirmed that SAPO will not receive any new financial rescue packages beyond the R381 million allocated through the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF) Temporary Employee Relief Scheme. The UDM has repeatedly cautioned that using the UIF to bail out failing state entities is a dangerous precedent that places workers’ hard-earned contributions at risk. The UDM reiterates the position we took as early as 2023 and 2024: that the Post Office’s crisis cannot be solved through bailouts and business rescue plans that merely reshuffle management and cut jobs. Instead, SAPO must redefine its role as a modern public utility that meets the needs of the people it serves. The UDM again calls for: 1. SAPO to diversify its services by expanding into insurance, microfinance and other community-based financial services that cater to rural and low-income customers. 2. A strong focus on digital transformation by embracing e-commerce logistics, secure digital postal services and providing public internet access to ensure competitiveness in the 21st century. 3. Greater accountability and oversight, with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies ensuring that bailout funds are used transparently and that management failures result in real consequences rather than rewards. 4. The protection of workers, as retrenchments cannot be viewed as a genuine reform strategy. Government must instead explore alternatives such as redeployment and retraining through institutions like Productivity South Africa. Like Alexkor, Denel, Eskom, Transnet, Land Bank, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, South African Airways, South African Broadcasting Corporation, SAPO has become a symbol of failed oversight, where billions in taxpayer funds are poured into institutions that cannot deliver sustainable or efficient public service SAPO was once a cornerstone of community life; a bridge between people and government. Today, it has become a symbol of failure. The Auditor-General’s report must serve as a wake-up call that the time for patchwork solutions has long passed.
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05 Oct, 2025
World Teachers Day: UDM salutes South Africa’s teachers
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement As the world marks World Teachers’ Day, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) pays heartfelt tribute to the men and women who dedicate their lives to the noble task of educating our nation. Teachers are not only transmitters of knowledge; they are the architects of our collective future. In every classroom, whether in a rural village, township or city, teachers shape South Africa’s destiny by nurturing the minds that will build tomorrow’s economy, democracy and leadership. They are mentors, counsellors and protectors who work under increasingly difficult conditions, yet continue to give of themselves with patience and purpose. Today, we must also confront the hard truth that many of our teachers operate in overcrowded classrooms, without adequate support or resources, and face safety and morale challenges that no professional should endure. It is unacceptable that educators are expected to inspire hope while they themselves feel neglected and undervalued. The UDM believes that education remains the single most powerful equaliser in our society, and that investing in teachers is investing in the nation’s stability and growth. We therefore call for the urgent improvement of working conditions and remuneration for educators, particularly in rural and under-resourced schools. We further call for the reintroduction of teacher training and mentorship programmes to restore the professionalism and discipline that once defined the teaching vocation. Stronger partnerships between schools, communities and government are essential to ensure that every learner studies in an environment that is safe, supportive and conducive to growth. Happy World Teachers’ Day.
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04 Oct, 2025
Reform parole, protect victims: UDEMWO’s call for action
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) has consistently raised the alarm about South Africa’s broken parole system. Time and again, we have argued that the safety of women, children, and communities cannot be compromised by releasing offenders who remain a clear danger to society. Recent figures provided in Parliament are nothing short of devastating. In just three years, 18 052 parolees reoffended including 493 murders and 624 rapes. The most common crimes committed while on parole were theft and housebreaking, compounding the daily fear ordinary families already live with. Between 2022 and 2025, a staggering 46 627 inmates were released on parole, yet parole violations reached over 28 000 in five years, mostly due to reoffending. These are not just numbers, they represent destroyed lives, families left in pain, and communities stripped of their sense of safety. We note that Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald convened the National Parole Review Summit in September 2025, where he committed to reforms that place public safety and victim justice at the centre of parole decisions. He acknowledged the shocking reality that parole must never be used as a tool simply to ease overcrowding in prisons, and that only those genuinely rehabilitated and posing no risk to the public should be considered. UDEMWO welcomes this shift in tone, but we stress that words and summits are not enough. What is needed is decisive, transparent reform that prioritises: 1. The Department of Correctional Services and parole boards must ensure that the voices and safety of victims and their families weigh heavily in all parole decisions. 2. Parliament and the Ministry of Justice must hold parole boards accountable when offenders they release commit violent crimes. 3. Offenders must demonstrate readiness for parole through meaningful participation in skills training, education, and reintegration programmes under the supervision of the Department of Correctional Services. 4. The Department of Correctional Services must publish regular reports on parole approvals, reoffending, and violations, and these reports must be tabled before Parliament for public scrutiny. The South African public is tired of empty promises. Every rape, every murder committed by someone released too soon, is a failure of the system and an insult to victims. UDEMWO will continue to speak out until a parole system exists that truly protects the living while respecting the memory of those we have lost. Communities must also take responsibility by reporting such crimes, rather than concealing them due to stigma, fear, or misplaced loyalty.
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04 Oct, 2025
Cape Town cannot hide behind spin while billions go missing
Statement by Bongani Maqungwana, UDM Councillor in the City of Cape Town The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the City of Cape Town notes with grave concern the large-scale police raids conducted across Cape Town this week in connection with alleged fraud and corruption involving R1.6 billion worth of municipal contracts. Reports indicate that 26 properties, including the private residences of municipal officials and businesses linked to tenders, were searched with documents and electronic devices seized as part of the ongoing investigation by the South African Police Services (SAPS). While we recognise the importance of law enforcement acting on credible whistle-blower information, it is deeply troubling that once again the City of Cape Town finds itself at the centre of allegations of corruption, maladministration and questionable procurement practices. These scandals come at the direct expense of ordinary residents who rely on municipal services and who expect that every rand of public money is spent on service delivery, not siphoned off through shady contracts. The UDM is particularly concerned that the spectre of “tenders for cash” has become a recurring theme in Cape Town’s governance. Allegations of links to underworld figures and repeat instances of unlawful contracting erode public confidence and reinforce the perception that corruption is entrenched rather than being rooted out. We caution against premature self-congratulation by the City for “cooperating” with SAPS. True accountability does not come from spin but from transparent investigations, full disclosure and holding individuals, no matter how senior, personally liable if they are found complicit. The UDM therefore calls for: • The immediate suspension of any officials under suspicion to prevent interference with evidence. • Law enforcement to ensure prosecutions follow swiftly so that whistle-blowers and the public see justice done. Cape Town’s residents deserve a municipality that prioritises clean governance and service delivery, not one mired in allegations of corruption worth billions. The UDM will continue to monitor these developments closely, engage relevant oversight bodies and demand accountability at every level.
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