Admin
23 Nov, 1997
Meyer and Holomisa hold rally in KwaMhlanga
Statement by UDM Media Manager The quiet of the late Sunday morning in Kwaggafontein near KwaMhlanga (Mpumalanga) was shattered today by the beating of drums, rhythmic singing and ululating women when Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer visited the rural highveld area of Mpumalanga for a rally in the local stadium. 700 supporters from the area, many of the women in the colourful Ndebele traditional dress and men sporting UDM T-shirts, enthusiastically cheered the two UDM leaders in a program of song and dance. In the leaders’ addresses, Holomisa emphasised the crime question, referring to President Mandela’s acknowledgement that MK fighters may be involved in the killing of Free State farmers. Holomisa said that only half of the original number of MK soldiers had been integrated in the SANDF. Many of those have since left the Force, complaining of integration irregularities. What happened to all the ex-fighters? If they weren’t integrated in the SANDF, were they at least integrated in society? Holomisa demanded a proper government investigation into the issue of the armed forces of the liberation movements. Regarding the Truth Commission, Holomisa emphasised the UDM’s viewpoint that all people who can shed relevant light on our past should be encouraged to do so before the TRC, including people such as Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Mr PW Botha. A lot of allegations have been made against Madikizela-Mandela recently, but why have the allegations not been investigated earlier and the culprits exposed? Regarding the position of tribal chiefs, Holomisa said that a policy commission on tribal authorities of the UDM has been tasked with coming up with a workable solution to the issue. Roelf Meyer said that the UDM is growing to be the only party able to challenge the ANC, whilst the ANC is increasingly becoming more like the old NP regime in the way it is consolidating power and not giving attention to the real needs of the people on the ground. Possibly the greatest challenge now is that of job creation. There has been no growth in the number of jobs offered over the last years, which is so disconcerting that the UDM is planning an economic workshop focussing on the issue. It will be held in the new year and involve all interested parties. Meyer also emphasised that other issues will be dealt with in the same way, showing that the UDM is not all talk, but means business. In the quest for the hearts and minds of all South Africans, the UDM will try to outvote other parties in stressing that the apartheid struggle is over, but that the new struggle is for the future of South Africa. About 40 chiefs and Inkozi also attended the rally from areas as far as Piet Retief and Secunda. The chairman of the meeting was local UDM leader Prince James Mhlangu.
Admin
20 Nov, 1997
Roelf Meyer visits PW Botha
Statement by UDM Media Manager on behalf of Roelf Meyer This morning I visited Mr PW Botha at his home in Wilderness. It was a private visit that was already arranged two months ago to coincide with my visit to the Southern Cape and Mr Botha’s availability. The visit had no connection with Mr Botha’s present relations with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, although the issue did come up during our discussions. It needs to be noted that Bantu Holomisa and I have always been of the opinion that co-operation with the TRC is imperative in order to uncover the full perspective of the past. With this in mind, the UDM will seek to play a role, if possible, to find a solution to the present impasse between Mr Botha and the Commission. Mr Botha undoubtedly possesses information of infinite value for the Commission to be able to fill in its picture of the past. The challenge will now be to determine the best possible way in which this transaction can be accomplished. Legal steps, under the circumstances, may not be the ideal solution, resulting only in further alienation.
Admin
16 Nov, 1997
Freedom Front leader joins UDM
Statement by UDM Media Manager A regional leader of the Freedom Front, Mr Danie Theron, has resigned and joined the UDM of Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer. He was chairman of the Pretoria South East Region of the FF. His decision, he said, was based on the increasing racialisation of our politics and the fact that parliamentary opposition does not seem to be able to garner adequate support to be any threat to the ANC. ‘More and more people realise that ethnic-based parties such as the FF and NP will never be able to draw the numbers necessary for taking them into government. It is high time that South Africans of all walks of life, over ethnic and cultural boundaries, take hands to end crime and create economic growth, job opportunities and racial harmony,’ he explained. The political playing field has changed, he said, and a new, fresh approach is necessary to unite South Africans and create a new patriotism in order to face our socio-economic challenges in a responsible way. ‘I can totally identify with the vision of Roelf Meyer and Bantu Holomisa and shall assist in realising it. I believe the UDM could be the official opposition after the 1999 elections’, Mr Theron said.
Admin
05 Nov, 1997
ANC’s disinformation campaign against the UDM
Statement by UDM Media Manager Gauteng MEC Ms Jessie Duarte has accused the UDM of being involved in violence on the East and West Rand and implicated the party with training paramilitary units. This is, of course, utter nonsense. The UDM is a democratic party. We reject violence in all forms as means to obtain political power. We have done so emphatically in the past. We have made it clear beyond any doubt that there is no room in the UDM whatsoever for perpetrators of violence. We believe in democracy and we believe in peace. Let there be no misunderstanding about this. If Ms Duarte has any concrete evidence of violence or paramilitary training anywhere in Gauteng, we expect her as political head of the SAPS in Gauteng to make the evidence public and prosecute the perpetrators. As a person of integrity, we know that she will not willingly be tempted into becoming part of a cheap campaign of political disinformation. In recognising her lapse of judgement, we are confident that she will now either substantiate her claims, or keep quiet. The UDM again emphasises that it is not connected to any such accusations and has no knowledge whatsoever of any such information. If people are prosecuted in the process, and some of them are indeed identified as members of the UDM, their membership will immediately be nullified. The UDM does not condone or plan violence in any form, and does not entertain perpetrators of violence. Fact of the matter is that violence in these areas is not a new phenomenon. It existed years before the launch of the UDM. It can, in fact, be traced back to the pre-1994 actions of the ANC aligned SDU’s. A number of ANC leaders have since unsuccessfully tried to put an end to this monster they have spawned themselves. To accuse the UDM now, is nothing but a crude attempt to shift blame. Ms Cheryl Carolus, acting Secretary-General of the ANC, has also tried to sow suspicion against the UDM by trying to paint a picture of connivance and secret dealings regarding the backgrounds of Messrs. Holomisa, Meyer and Spaarwater. Again there is no evidence to back up the flimsy, opportunistic and half-baked allegations. Mr Spaarwater was indeed an official in National Intelligence, but also in Constitutional Development, where he played a major part in setting the scene for the constitutional negotiations leading to our democratic elections in 1994. He was involved in the first meetings between the previous government and the ANC, specifically Mr Thabo Mbeki. He was furthermore no supporter of the governing party at the time, and indeed left the DP to join the UDM. The public will recognise this for the smear campaign it is, born out of apparent panic and a bullying mindset. This is exactly the kind of political attitude that belongs to the past. Let us rather look at the future and use our energy to build South Africa into the great nation that we can, and want to, be.
Admin
04 Nov, 1997
ANC allegations against Holomisa
Statement by Bantu Holomisa The ANC has now, as I predicted yesterday, accused the UDM and me of all sorts of anti-democratic activities in Gauteng, and specifically Phola Park. The UDM, and Holomisa, reject these accusations in the strongest possible terms for the utter nonsense they represent. The UDM is a political party, striving to establish and foster democracy, not to demolish it. The ANC knows this, and their present attempts at disinformation are as blatant as they are manifestations of a growing sense of panic leading to shortsighted and foolish decisions. I am still awaiting an answer on my letter to President Mandela. The recent accusations by ANC members, have established an even greater urgency to the letter and the need for a satisfying response.
Admin
04 Nov, 1997
UDM: New Party Structures
Statement by UDM Interim National Management Committee of the UDM The Interim National Management Committee of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) met for the first time yesterday, after the launch of the party on 27 September 1997. At the meeting, a number of issues were discussed. Provinces reported back on progress made during the first month in business, the positive state of the membership drive and progress made in establishing branches of the UDM. This wide report indicated positively on the fact that the UDM is already – after being in operation for just a month now – functioning as a party on the national level. Management positions were also approved for the UDM’s National Office. These appointments are: Director: Management Services Annelizé van Wyk; Treasurer Takis Christodoulou; Director: Research Joel Mafenya; Director: Policy Development Maritz Spaarwater; Director: Provincial Organisation & Development Kobus du Plessis. The UDM furthermore strategised around several important political issues. The ongoing violence in KwaZulu-Natal received special attention. The UDM finds this continuous violence totally unacceptable and considers it a serious threat to the process of democracy. The UDM leadership will consider visiting some of these hot spots on a fact-finding mission. Serious concern was raised by the Committee on the apparent lack of ability or will of the government to normalise the situation.
Admin
28 Oct, 1997
Student turmoil at Parliament
Statement by Roelf Meyer The incident where students voiced their grievances from the parliamentary gallery, displayed a crudeness and an unacceptable lack of discipline that the UDM repudiates in the strongest terms. This is exactly the kind of counter-productive and repellent behaviour which actually does a disservice to the cause of the perpetrators. What is true, though, is that Government should heed the cultural needs and problems of communities in South Africa. This incident was about the perceived nonchalance from Government to enforce the constitutional rights in this case of the Afrikaans language. Government should do well to listen to the voices of all cultural communities and to see to it that their rights are scrupulously guarded. The notion by any cultural community of expressing themselves in political terms, however, is unfortunate and one that does not bode well in a multi-cultural country. Cultural expression is a group activity, but any attempt to form a political grouping around cultural unity, is an alienating process which does not serve the cause of the cultural group or the interest of the country.
Admin
28 Oct, 1997
Unsuccessful coup d’etat in Zambia
Statement issued by UDM Media Manager The UDM supports the Government wholeheartedly in its condemnation of the attempted coup d’etat in Zambia. In a democracy, there should be no other option of changing government, than through the ballot. The UDM will always assist towards establishing and supporting democracy as wide as possible, both nationally and internationally.
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