Admin
09 Dec, 2013
Mandela was born to lead: Holomisa
Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) President, Chief Phathekile Holomisa says former president Nelson Mandela was born to lead. Holomisa says Madiba’s elders from the Abathembu Tribe, never anticipated that he would lead the country one day. Madiba passed away on Thursday night at his house, Houghton, Johannesburg. Holomisa says: “As an adviser, councillor to the Kings he was playing a critical role in the royal councils of Abathembu and I am sure the elders never anticipated that he will be a leader beyond that stature, so he fulfilled their hopes and expectations more than they had held then. He was born to lead. In fact when he went away from the Mthembuland to the City of Johannesburg, he naturally became a leader.” On Sunday, different prayer services were held for former statesman in South Africa and in other parts of the world. United Democratic Movement leader and Mandela family member Bantu Holomisa attended a prayer service at Regina Mundi in Soweto. Holomisa described Madiba as a man who fought for the country and encouraged South Africans to continue to embrace his legacy. Holomisa also made it clear that there won’t be any violence after Madiba’s funeral. “South Africans have proven wrong the international world that there will be violence in the country. There won’t be any violence in South Africa.” An official memorial service for Madiba will be held at FNB stadium on Tuesday and he will be buried in Qunu, Eastern Cape on Sunday.
Admin
24 Oct, 2013
Speech: Annual Black Management Forum conference Debate: Can Good Governance increase trust amongst Government, Civil Society, Labour and Business?
by Mr Bantu Holomisa at Gallagher Convention Centre Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for the opportunity to interact with you today; I’m honoured to address this forum on the importance of good governance in engendering trust among the various stakeholders in society. Let me state from the outset that the answer to this question is an emphatic YES! Yesterday the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela in this conference gave a candid and concise assessment of poor state of governance in the public sector in South Africa. She called on people to refrain from using their connections as a means to access tenders. Even though much has been said and written about corruption in South Africa and many laws have been passed to fight corruption, corruption remains a serious problem in our country. Far too often, many top government officials and politicians have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. In addition, when allegations of corruption engulf once revered institutions, such as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Presidency, they weaken our ability to successfully crackdown on corruption. In the process they affect our international ratings. It would, however, be mischievous and dishonest to suggest that corruption in government only started during the Zuma regime. Many of you will recall that some of the most devastating corruption scandals go back as far as the Sarafina-2, Arms Deal, Oil Gate, Travel Gate, Chancellor House/Hitachi and Eskom Deal. The latter deal being a classical example of an institutionalised corruption. Efforts have been made to determine the possible causes of corruption in South Africa. While we admit that there are many possible causes of corruption, we believe that at the heart of the problem is the tender system. In particular, it is the usurpation of the powers of accounting officers by politicians in this system. Since the advent of democracy we have seen an increasing number of political directives given to accounting officers on how to allocate tenders and to whom. To make matters worse, in many instances tenders are awarded to incompetent people, who either do shoddy work or leave it unfinished. A case in point, not long ago former Human Settlements Minister, Tokyo Sexwale stated publicly that his Department was planning to demolish thousands of RDP houses that were not built properly and are a health hazard. The Medupi tender was awarded to the ruling party investment arm without being subjected to an open to tender system. This means that in this deal the ruling party became both player and referee. After this scandal was revealed they had the nerve to tell the public that they have a right to do this. These occur despite people being aware that they go against the principles of good governance. We need to reverse this trend, Ladies and Gentlemen. We need to restore the power to make administrative decisions back to the accounting officers, and that politicians should confine themselves to do oversight work. What is also of grave concern is that when the media and the Public Protector expose incidents of corruption, nothing serious is done about it. Instead, the culprits get rewarded with redeployments and or promotions, which firmly entrenches the culture of corruption and impunity. For examples one has to look no further than former Minister of Communications, Dina Pule and those who were found guilty in the Travel Gate scandal. This altogether necessitates a review of the programs and some of the governance systems we have been using. Put more accurately, we need to change the software. We need to move towards a mixed electoral system that draws from the strengths of both the proportional and constituency based electoral systems. In addition, our people should be allowed to directly elect their president. In addition the cabinet which has been nominated by that president should be a subject of scrutiny by the Parliament’s Ethics Committee before they are sworn in. Such a system will among other things make sure that the cabinet represents the population or at least the geographical spread of South Africa and that such individuals understand the field they are to enter. A directly elected president would have no motivation to fill the cabinet with people from his/her home province, as is currently the case. This is a recipe for prompting ethnicity and unfair distribution of resources. These steps would, among others, help improve accountability. If the civil society and the public in general is going to fold their arms while these hyenas and predators continue to loot this country’s resources with impunity, they must know that our children will inherit an empty shell in the future. I thank you.
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
President Zuma’s office responded to complaints regarding service delivery in Limpopo
President Zuma’s office responded to complaints regarding service delivery in Limpopo (Presidency’s Response + Memorandum + List of Complaints) and Eastern Cape (Presidency’s Response + Memorandum + List of Complaints)(OR Tambo and Chris Hani Regions). We will follow-up on some areas that have not been covered e.g. roads in Lusikisiki, Flagstaff and Bizana in particular.
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
Mining talks need transparency and proper commitment from Government
Mr KP Motlanthe Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa Union Buildings Private Bag X1000, Pretoria, 0001 Dear Sir MINING TALKS NEED TRANSPARENCY AND PROPER COMMITMENT FROM GOVERNMENT AMCU’S DEMANDS Your efforts to engage with mining houses and trade unions to resolve issues negatively affecting the mining sector in South Africa are well documented; this includes your attempt to broker a peace pact between the various role-players. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) have however abstained from signing the agreement until their demands which, we understand to include the below, are met: Reinstatement of dismissed workers. Retraction of Minister Blade Nzimande’ statement in which he called Amcu a vigilante union; and Dropping of a labour court case by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in which it seeks a reversal of Lonmin’s decision to recognise Amcu as the majority union. These demands do not appear to be unreasonable or impossible to meet, and it begs the question: why is the negotiating team dragging their feet? All role-players must engage in these kinds of negotiations in the most transparent manner possible and they must have both their hands open to show that nothing is hidden behind their backs. In order for any mediator to gain the trust of all the role-players; you cannot have your union background or affiliation colour your views and thus compromise your peace-making efforts. If your negotiation team refuses to, or claims that it is unable to, meet Amcu’s demands, one is tempted to believe that you are using the old Trojan Horse tactic to influence the outcome of the negotiations in favour a certain role-players. FAILURE OF MINISTERS ON YOUR TEAM TO ADDRESS BURNING ISSUES If you are indeed serious about finding a sustainable solution to the challenges facing the mining industry, we advise that you visit the compounds of Anglo-Gold Mines at Vaal Reef where dismissed workers are made to live. The conditions under which they are accommodated are inhumane. Their compound is barricaded with barbed wire as danger-zones and all the kitchen equipment, such as stoves, have been removed by the company. This situation was reported, in a 14 June 2013 letter (attached for your ease of reference), to some of the Cabinet Ministers who form part of your negotiating team and they have up to date not acted. How can Government engage in good faith in these mining talks if it treats issues such as human rights abuses by simply ignoring the worker’s expressed concerns? Yours sincerely Bantu Holomisa UDM President Copied to: Advocate ML Mushwana – Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
Inspection of appalling conditions where workers of Anglo Gold Mine at Vaal Reefs are kept
Open letter to three Ministers from Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President), regarding: in loco inspection of appalling conditions where workers of Anglo Gold Mine at Vaal Reefs are kept (14 June 2013) To: Minister of Energy and Minerals Ms Elizabeth Dipuo Peters Private Bag X96, Pretoria, 0001 To: Minister of Mineral Resources Ms Susan Shabangu Private Bag X59, Arcadia, 0007 To: Minister of Labour Ms Mildred Nelisiwe Oliphant Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001 Dear Honourable Ministers CALLING THE MINISTER OF MINERALS, MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY AND OF LABOUR TO CONDUCT AN INSPECTION IN LOCO AS A RESULT OF THE APPALLING CONDITIONS WHERE WORKERS OF ANGLO GOLD MINE AT VAAL REEFS ARE KEPT The leadership of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) visited the compounds of Anglo-Gold Mines at Vaal Reef where the allegedly dismissed workers are kept until the matter is decided upon by the Labour Court. The conditions under which these workers are accommodated is inhuman as their compound is barricaded as a danger zone by barbed wire and all the kitchen material such as stoves have been taken away by the company. These workers are not being paid nor being given food rations. They are placed there to starve to death. This fuels a variety of concerns which need to be addressed. These are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. The UDM is making a call to the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Elizabeth Peters, Minister of Mineral Resources, Ms Susan Shabangu and of Labour Ms Mildred Oliphant to do an inspection in loco of the compound. The UDM finds it disturbing that at this day and age, there is an existence of companies which treat their workers as animals. This is not acceptable. The relevant ministry should take a bold step against the company. Yours sincerely Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President Copied to: Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Advocate Mabedle Lawrence Mushwana
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
Outstanding land claim payments for Gqogqorha Administrative Area
Open letter to President Zuma from Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President), regarding: outstanding land claim payments for Gqogqorha Administrative Area On the 04th of February 2011 you, Sir, and senior officials from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform visited Gqogqorha administrative area to resolve the land claims in the area. According to Gqogqorha residents, during this visit cheques ranging from R 31 000 to R 39 000 were written out and given to residents in payment for what they described as “rental money”. This community claims that this was the first of two payments that were due to them from government. Apparently, government was to come back a year later to settle the second part of the payment which was for “removals”. The deadline for this payment was duly set for June 2012. However, when June came the deadline was extended to September 2012. When September came the deadline was first shifted to November 2012 and then January this year. However, almost five months into the year nothing has happened. This year Gqogqorha residents followed-up with their contact person at the Eastern Provincial Government, Ms Amanda Buso to establish when they should expect to receive payment. To their surprise, Ms Buso’s who has been willy-nilly extending deadlines started sending them from pillar to post. When they make contact with her now, she refers them to a Mr Pityi, as she claims that she no longer works for Land Claims section. The Gqogqorha residents are understandably upset and frustrated with this. I call on your Office to look into this matter and ensure its speedy resolution. Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
Social conditions at South African mines; miners’ monies invested, but they see no dividends
Open letter to the Farlam Commission regarding: “Social conditions at South African mines; miners’ monies invested, but they see no dividends” from Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President) (30 April 2013) Dear Sir The United Democratic Movement (UDM) believes that the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the tragic incident at the Marikana Mine would not be complete if the Commission does not look at the social conditions of the miners and the communities that surround mining activities. Part of the unhappiness that led to the strikes we have seen in the mining industry is caused by the exploitation of mineworkers by both the employers and the unions who claim to represent their best interests. In particular, unions take their members’ monies and tell them it will be invested in schemes such as provident funds and other investment opportunities. Although union members diligently contribute to these schemes, of the investment arms of the trade unions, they never receive the dividends. This worrying trend is witnessed when we talk to ex-mineworkers who say they have never benefited from these schemes and are unlikely to. The organisations that represent these ex-mineworkers have been sent from pillar to post by the Departments of Labour and Health in their search for their monies. They have approached Parliament and the Office of the President for assistance, to no avail. For the Commission to find a sustainable solution, and to avoid a repetition of the Marikana tragedy, we advise that you solicit information about these provident funds and so-called investments arms of the unions. The Commission could summon the South African Chamber of Mines, the National Union of Mineworkers, the Department of Labour and the Department of Health to explain where the mineworkers’ monies are. If the Commission winds up without attending to these deep-seated worries of the miners, there will be no end in sight to the wildcat strikes we see in the mining industry. With the issues affecting the miners and their families, and their highly emotive nature, each strike we see in future has the potential to escalate into tragedy. If the Commission investigates the matter of the investment of mineworkers’ monies, show them the truth and give them the answers they need, it has a unique opportunity to address one of the root causes of miners’ complaints once and for all. Kindly advise Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP President of the United Democratic Movement
Admin
18 Oct, 2013
Defence regarding SA presence in the CAR
Open letter to Chairperson of Standing Committee on Defence regarding SA presence in the CAR from Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President) (3 April 2013) The aforementioned matter has reference. The history of what occurred since that fateful weekend in Bangui, in the Central African Republic (CAR), where 13 South African servicemen lost their lives and another 27 were injured, is well documented. We however keep hearing conflicting reports of South Africa exiting this area and that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has actually deployed more troops, and fighter and transport planes to the region. Allegations of Chad and France’s involvement in the military action compound matters. In addition there are still questions about who gave the rebels safe passage, and also access to the capital and South Africa’s base. Who equipped and funded their mission? The leader of the rebels, and the new CAR President, Michel Djotodia, has indicated that he will ask France and the United States to help retrain CAR’s “ill-disciplined” army that was “so easily overrun” by the rebels and they will review “resource deals”. It is reported that French troops patrol Bangui’s streets ostensibly to protect French citizens, assets and diplomatic installations. In addition to their national interests, we hear that France was or is protecting our remaining troops confined at the Bangui airport. On what grounds? If this is genuine protection by the French troops, why are there pictures of Seleka rebels driving around in South African vehicles? At first glance our soldiers were caught in a political crossfire and it appears as if France did not take kindly to former President Bozizé giving mineral rights to South Africa and China. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) recommends that after this humiliation of our Defence Force, our foreign policy and our country, it would be better to make an immediate tactical withdrawal. Should South Africa have a desire to re-enter this stage, it must be a sanctioned resolution of the African Union or the United Nations, especially since the bilateral agreement with our former “friend” is defunct because he is no longer in power. The UDM suggests that South Africa swallows its pride, come home to lick our wounds and start afresh. Parliament would have failed its oversight duty if it does not endorse a need to establish a commission inquiry to ascertain, amongst other things, exactly which South African assets, as mentioned by the Minister of Defence, needed the protection of the SANDF. Such an inquiry would clarify the confusion that was created when the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (Deputy-Minister Ebrahim) said that the SANDF was deployed to protect the former CAR president (Operation Morero) versus what the Minister of Defence and the Presidency said about training operations only, with no mention of the protection of the former president. The Inquiry will also help to verify whether there had in fact been any training conducted by the SANDF in that Country over the last two years. Yours sincerely, Bantu Holomisa, MP President of the United Democratic Movement
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