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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.
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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
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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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22 Apr, 2014
Government not honouring contractual obligations at the expense of small businesses – Dimbaza
TO: His Excellency, Mr JG Zuma, President of the Republic South Africa Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies Chief Executive Officer: Coega Development Corporation, Mr Mninawe Silinga FROM: Bantu Holomisa, MP Government not honouring contractual obligations at the expense of small businesses – Dimbaza See below, correspondence from Mr B Willows, representative of SBM Iron and Steel Manufacturers (Pty) Limited from Dimbaza, near King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape. Mr Willows clearly outlines the history of the situation and the company’s frustrations with government’s non-payment since February 2012. This is yet another example where government’s administrative bungling results in the non-payment of its service providers. This unacceptable situation is proof enough that the promises recently made by the national chairperson of the ruling party, Ms Baleka Mbete, are hollow. Government touts small business development and entrepreneurship as a focus points to generate jobs, however actions speak louder than words. It is an undeniable fact that government is responsible for ruining many companies, because of its non-payment, thus forcing them to close their doors. Clearly the past, and current, election promises of the ruling party is nothing more than election rhetoric that never realises at grassroots level. We call on you and the relevant authorities to urgently attend to this matter. Kindly advise Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President ——————————————————————————————– To: The Honourable Bantu Holomisa 17th April 2014 Dear Sir. My name is Barry Willows and I represent SBM Iron and Steel Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd herein after referred to as (SBM). In September 2011 we were in the process of concluding a deal to open a Steel Plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (CDZ). We had a site reserved right next to another applicant, called Agni Steel SA. In October 2011, we were approached by Economic Development Department (EDD) asking us to please consider moving our operation to Dimbaza, as Scaw Metals were closing down their foundry and retrenching 500+ staff. We agreed to look at it and after a rapid Due Diligence, and decided that it would be beneficial to construct a steel plant in Dimbaza, but would need to conduct a Detailed Feasibility Study (DFS) first. EDD agreed and they applied to the Employment Creation Fund for funding to conduct the DFS, and the structure was that EDD owned the Dimbaza DFS Project, and SBM were appointed as the Implementing Agency to conduct the study. In February 2012 the ECF approved the funding for the DFS. Memorandum of Agreements were drawn up between the DTI and EDD, and EDD and SBM respectively. These were signed by all parties in January 2012, and the transfer of funds was to occur within 30 day thereafter. Initial investigations by SBM showed the potential to open a steel mill and a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Plant, which combined has the possibility to create 700+ direct jobs. A support Letter was received from the ECDC offering SBM the use of any or all vacant factory space in Dimbaza. Besides the steel mill and DRI plant, the DFS is designed to convert all disused factories in Dimbaza into a steel hub or cluster whereby small businesses will be set up to fabricate products from the steel mill such as window and door frames, reinforced concrete, nuts, bolts, screws, nails, Eskom pylons, a galvanising plant etc. The aim is to create between 3000-5000 jobs and entrepreneurs in Dimbaza. To cut to the chase; let us fast forward to April 2014. Despite many promises of payment, continued correspondence, pleas, requests etc, absolutely nothing has happened. In fact, just last month March 2014, the DG of the DTI has requested a re-verification of all projects, whether approved or not to be conducted by Ernest and Young. So in effect the Dimbaza Project is right back to BEFORE we started. Whilst EDD and SBM felt this was unnecessary as this is only a feasibility study, SBM complied and a re-verification has been done on the Dimbaza Project, there has still been no further communication from the ECF and both EDD and SBM do not know what is happening. Agni Steel have since opened a R400 million billet plant at Coega, whilst SBM have still not received one cent to conduct the DFS to assess the viability of a Steel mill and cluster in Dimbaza. This has clearly frustrated job creation in the area, and we are concerned that this may continue as SBM and EDD receive information from the ECF that continuously fails to materialize. SBM has been promised the “Transfer of Funds” on so many occasions, but absolutely nothing ever comes of it. It continuously gets delayed for some reason or another. We have (and have had for over 14 months now), signed legal and binding agreements but still nothing ever materializes. All documentation is complete and with the ECF including tax clearance certificates etc, so there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for these hold-ups, but still they persist. We are appealing for your intervention as we know the Eastern Cape is very close to your heart, and we pray that we will be able to conclude the DFS as soon as possible so-as to possibly get a steel mill up and running and change the fortunes of the unemployed and destitute in Dimbaza. It would be greatly appreciated if you could intervene in the hope that you may be able to accelerate the process so that the Dimbaza Project can actually materialize and an employment initiative can be explored. Thank you and we look forward to implementing this exciting project soon. Kind Regards. B Willows SBM Iron & Steel Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd.
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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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15 Apr, 2014
Department of Labour Compensation Fund: corruption and wasteful expenditure
To: The Public Protector – Ms Thuli Madonsela Copy: The President of the Republic – Mr Jacob Zuma The Auditor General – Mr Thembekile Makwethu From: The UDM President – Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP subject: Department of Labour Compensation Fund: corruption and wasteful expenditure Dear Ms Madonsela The above mentioned matter has reference. R2,5 billion Compensation Fund investments misuse The UDM understands that the main purpose of this fund is to compensate for occupational injuries and diseases. Reserved funds normally are invested with the public investment cooperation for unforeseen mass occupational injuries that might occur in future and to cater for increases on injury on duty, monthly pensions for employees and dependents. Payment of advances to private companies – R546 million There are serious allegations which fingers the Compensation Commissioner who has paid some companies in advance to the tune of R546 million. He is alleged to have undertaken a very risky action by paying advances to these companies without any invoices to reconcile the payments. Debtor’s book has increased: R3,3 billion in 2010 to 8,9 billion in 2013 The Compensation Commissioner appointed a debt collector by the name of NICS since 2010 that has already been paid about R160m. In contrast, the debtors’ book has increased from to R3.3billion in 2010 when they took over from internal staff to R8.9 billion in 2013. This is evidence that NICS is not effective at all but is collecting on the efforts made by internal staff by charging 10% of collection. The contract was deliberately manipulated and changed by the Compensation Commissioner to deviate from the initial tender specification whereby NICS was supposed to collect on older debts beyond 180 days. NICS collects on simpler cases to make quick cash while internal staff is also pursuing the same cases. The Commissioner has flatly refused the legal advice by the Senior Council that the contract should have been terminated on grounds of poor performance. We therefore appeal to your good office, President’s office and the Auditor General to speedily attend to this seemingly looting spree taking place at the Compensation Fund. As you will be reading this document, especially Mr President, you will find that the Minister of Labour Ms Mildred Oliphant is being accused of conflict of interest with the Accenture IT Company, where her close relative is a director. As a result of this apparent corrupt relationship, Accenture was procured to a closed tender and the Minister did not declare her relationship to Accenture. Kindly advise. Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President
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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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