Admin
10 Feb, 1999
Holomisa’s response to Mufamandi’s “safer SA” claim
Statement by Bantu Holomisa UDM President In a statement today, Sydney Mufamadi, the Minister of Safety and Security, made the claim that the crime situation in South Africa is “improving”. “We are convinced that the initiatives which we have taken… will correct the initial asymmetry which allowed criminals to go about their enterprise with impunity,” said Mufamadi. I am bewildered by this statement. This “initial asymmetry” must be some sort of bureaucratise for “no government policy” or “failed government policy”. According to the minister’s assessment of the statistics, safe and peaceful times are just around the corner for South Africa. The UDM prefers something more reliable than crime statistics. We prefer to talk to directly to South Africans. As we campaign across the country, people are telling us the opposite. The citizens we meet on a daily basis are now more afraid for their safety and security than ever, statistics or no statistics. While the UDM applauds the minor improvements in certain areas, we must emphasise the staggering deterioration in others. Naïve optimism is misplaced and inappropriate. The citizens of South Africa demand leadership in this area, not some band-aid approach to the crime situation during an election year. Civil order requires more than just lip-service. We feel that, currently, the government is actually undermining confidence in the forces of law and order. The UDM will work to ensure that public confidence is restored. The UDM is serious about crime, elections or no elections.
Admin
08 Feb, 1999
Human Science Resource Council poll; shows UDM is gaining momentum
Statement by Roelf Meyer UDM Deputy-President The Human Science Research Council, a respected South African research firm, announced a poll showing that if the elections for Parliament were held today, 9% of South Africans would cast their ballot for the United Democratic Movement. UDM President, Bantu Holomisa said, “That’s marvelous.” Roelf Meyer, UDM Deputy-President, echoed those sentiments, “9%, wonderful.” Holomisa and Meyer said, “We are very pleased with these results. It has been only 15 months since we founded the party, and to already have this type of support is very gratifying. We are not satisfied yet, but we are certainly headed in the right direction.” Holomisa and Meyer continued, “There are two big reasons the UDM is experiencing such dramatic growth as we approach the elections. First, it is because of the quality of the people we have in our party. At the national, provincial and local levels the UDM has attracted a group of loyal and dedicated workers. The result of this poll is a reflection of the tireless hard work our organizers have done on the ground. Our thanks go out to all those workers across the country. They are the backbone of our party. Keep up the good work. “The second reason for our success is our message. We offer South African voters a clear alternative to the failed policies of the ANC whether it is on crime, unemployment, education or healthcare. The voters are beginning to realize there is only one political party that will offer a constructive and credible opposition to the ANC. Only one party’s opposition is not rooted in the past or aimed at a narrow segment of South African society. The voters realize there is only one opposition party that represents South Africans from across the racial and socio-economic spectrums. That party is, of course, the UDM.” Holomisa and Meyer concluded by saying, “This is a nice shot in the arm. We obviously have the momentum, but much hard work remains to be done. We need to prepare for the only poll that counts, the one at the end of May when South African voters cast their ballots.”
Admin
01 Feb, 1999
UDM visit to Germany
Statement by Roelf Meyer UDM Deputy-President A UDM delegation, led by President Bantu Holomisa, has departed for Germany this morning, on a visit arranged by the Konrad-Adenhauer- Foundation. This includes visits to Potsdam, Berlin, Bonn, and Wiesbaden. The delegation will hold meetings with representatives of national and provincial governments and will also observe a provincial election. Mr. Holomisa is accompanied by the acting National Secretary Annelizé van Wyk, National Deputy Chairperson Salaam Abram-Mayet, and National Organiser Kingsley Masemola.
Admin
13 Jan, 1999
Elections under threat
Statement by the National Deputy Secretary The repeated statement by the IEC chairperson, Judge Kriegler that the IEC does not have enough funding to conduct the elections properly, is a matter of grave concern. In order to be independent and effective in ensuring free and fair elections the IEC needs to be properly funded. The UDM has stated before that by not providing the IEC with the necessary funding the vital independence role of the IEC comes under threat. Government needs to provide the IEC with the necessary funding to ensure that the IEC can without a shadow of a doubt conduct its tasks and with credibility be able to declare the 1999 elections free and fair. The UDM however also believes that the IEC itself needs to ensure that this is possible. Scepticism exists over the spending of the IEC. What is it that the IEC up to date has spent its allocated budget on? Putting forward a budget is one thing, but what that money was actually spent on is another question. The UDM would be interested in the IEC making public an actual income and expenditure statement up to date. Somehow priorities seem not to have been addressed. Here one needs just to recall the lack of awareness programs during the first registration process to see to what extent priorities have been poorly dealt with. The UDM knows that the non-availability of the election date is also an obstacle in proper planning for the elections. This is true not only for the IEC but also for the planning of campaigns, the preparation of civil society for the elections as well as the much needed voter education programmes. While the earlier proclamation of the date needs a constitutional change, nothing is stopping the President to announce the election date. The UDM would urge him in the interest of democracy as a whole to do that as a matter of urgency. The IEC in handling and managing the elections must remember that it is serving the South African voter public and democracy before anything or anybody else. The IEC would therefore do well to communicate with South Africans the full picture regarding the obstacles it is facing in preparing for the elections. In the interest of democracy and in ensuring a free and fair election the IEC is obliged to do exactly that.
Admin
12 Jan, 1999
UDM sceptical about new school year
Statement by the National Deputy Secretary At the beginning of the education year, the UDM is concerned about the administration and running of the Department of Education in support of Education as a whole. Five years since the ANC took over government and still there are not enough books and stationery for schools. Despite promises by President Mandela personally that pupils will be able to begin this year without the necessary textbooks. The UDM believes that education forms the basis from which the future of South Africa would be build. In order to achieve effective education that would empower South Africans with the necessary skills, a partnership between government, the learner, teachers, parents and the community is needed. Education requires commitment from all of these role players, each playing a vital roll in determining the success of the education year. The UDM urges government to fulfill its part in the education partnership. Government is responsible for the moral of the teachers, for the delivery of the necessary textbooks, stationery and the administration of the department. This creates the environment in which education takes place and in the past years we have seen that government failed in providing this much needed environment for education. Learners have demonstrated that they can perform well under the most difficult of circumstances. Education is a privilege and comes with a certain responsibility. Make use of the opportunity provided and lay the groundwork for a better future.
Admin
10 Jan, 1999
Mufamadi on safety and security
Statement by Bantu Holomisa Minister of Safety and Security, Sydney Mufamadi’s statement that “…they had finally come to grips with combating crime” based on a small number of arrests of high profile cases, clearly illustrates the naivety with witch the ANC government approaches the issue of crime. By admission of Commissioner Maharaj (at the same conference), little improvement was made in the fight against priority crimes. The arrest of suspects in crimes that received national media coverage is not enough to claim that you have come to grips with combating crime. It is only when there is a clear, noticeable and consistent decline of priority crimes, affecting all societies, when statements like these can be made with an iota of credibility. The majority of the SAPS staff is working far beyond their call of duty and under very difficult circumstances and in most instances completely without the most basic resources. The UDM appreciates this efforts well realising that in order to fight crime effectively requires a partnership. The ANC would do well to stop making politics out of the issue of crime. As government it has clearly illustrated that it does not have the will or ability to combat crime and to give the streets back to law abiding citizens. The unbearable situation in the Western Cape is a point in case where crime is used as the ball in the political game between the National Party and the ANC. In stead of trying to find a lasting solution and to bring the culprits to book, the ANC and the NP in the Western Cape is shifting blame. In doing so, they are creating a breading ground, fertile for criminals to strengthen their own agenda. If the National Party honestly believes, that it, as provincial government, can not make a difference to the crime situation in the Western Cape, then they should do away with the position of MEC for Safety and Security. The money saved from running such a department and portfolio can then rather be used for programmes to establish a culture of respect for law and order in the province. You can not have the best of two worlds. What are the residents of the Western Cape then paying Mr. Wiley a salary for? Politicians should realise that crime is too an important issue to be used for small political gains and point scoring. The people affected by crime are real people, their pain and loss is not merely statistics. Mr. Mufamadi would do well to remember this the next time he attempts to whitewash the crime situation in the country.
Admin
06 Jan, 1999
Youth registration
Statement by the UDM National Deputy Secretary The United Democratic Movement supports the joint effort of the IEC and the National Youth Commission to embark on a programme to get the youth to register and participate in the upcoming elections. The UDM fully utilised the opportunity to participate in this process. The UDM is concerned with the National Youth Commissions apparent lack of understanding of the extent of the looming crisis. The UDM will seek a meeting with the IEC as we are calling for a youth registration day. We call for a day focusing on registering the youth at school and university’s across the country. Registration must take place under the banner of the IEC and be supported by the NYC. Even though the NYC lacks the ability to conduct an effective campaign, they do have the capacity to support the IEC. We regret the NYC’s departure point that the low voter registration, especially amongst the youth does not represent a crisis. The low registration reflects on the youth’s loss of confidence in the structure of government – including the NYC. Those structures and institutions have failed to demonstrate to the youth a commitment to serve the interests of the youth. It is critical that the youth are made aware of the impact that their votes would contribute to their own future and the future of the country. We say to the youth that you have the power to rock the boat, by rocking the vote, so get jamming and register.
Admin
31 Dec, 1998
1998 Matric results Gauteng and North West
Statement by Deputy-National Secretary The UDM congratulates successful 1998 Matric Candidates from Gauteng and the North West. Though it is encouraging that in both these provinces the pass rate improved, it is still not a satisfactory result. With more than 40% of candidates not passing, it is clear that major problems still exist. The North West particularly was plagued with a lack of handbooks and other problems in the Department of Education. Education is the most important tool that we can equip the youth of our country with. It requires commitment, diligence, sacrifice and hard work from not only the learners but also from teachers, parents and the community. Though education is a basic right it comes with responsibility. The UDM urges the Department of Education to make sure that in 1999 all of the necessary elements would be in place so that a proper learning environment can be achieved. This clearly means that the basics must be done right. Education without the opportunity of employment is not enough. The UDM would urge government to look at the development of entrepreneurial skills at school level so that more pupils can become self-employed and self-sufficient in the ever-decreasing South African employment market.
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