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08 Oct, 2013
Marikana Commemoration
Address by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President) on Marikana Commemoration on Friday, 16 August 2013 at Marikana Programme Director, Church and union leaders, Leaders of political parties, Mining management, Community leaders, The workers and people of Marikana 16 AUGUST 2012 I stand here and I remember when we heard the terrible news of what happened on this very soil on 16 August 2012. Indeed the South African Council of Churches (SACC), under the leadership of Bishop Jo Seoka, and the leaders of political parties visited this community to pay our respects and to hear what it was that happened. You will recall that we left here with the advice that the SACC should not leave this community to fend for itself and we are thankful that you have stayed your course. We again plead with you to not leave this area without having made sure that this community has access to proper housing, schools, roads, clinics, crèches and above all until the citizens of this country go to an Economic Indaba that will address the skewed distribution of resources which have benefited a selected few and only some regions. If we had strong civil society, after Government’s botched handling of this situation, we would have had a plan of action in place, with specified deadlines, that insured that this community received the care and services they need to have an acceptable standard of living and the disputed funding of legal representatives would not be an issue. WE MUST NEVER HAVE A REPEAT OF THIS TRAGEDY If it had not been for the harsh reality, one would not have believed that we lived in a new South Africa where it was possible for nearly 80 South Africans to be injured, and 44 to die, in one day, in a conflict between a people and their government. A year has passed and this community still has a long way to go to find healing. You still have much heartache, frustration and disappointment to process, because of not only what happened on that fateful day, but also what happened thereafter. This community, and those who find employment on the mines across South Africa, have however proved that we as a Nation have an innate strength and resilience. You have shown that we will not be defeated by that which is wrong; that we can rise from the ash, dust and grime; and that we are willing to work to find mutual trust and a brighter future for all our people. To the families, friends and colleagues of those who were injured and had lost their lives, it is not only important that we find peace in our hearts, but also peace in this community and in the workplace. I hope that all the people who form part of this community, employer and worker alike, will soon find each other. We therefore congratulate the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the mine management for their continued willingness to engage with one another to talk about a solution that will benefit all. CONCLUSION We will never forget what happened here, but I am sure we can all agree that some good must come from this tragedy. Things must change for the better. On behalf of the United Democratic Movement, I commiserate with those who were left behind and we appeal to all concerned, to work hard to find common ground and above all, let us never-ever have a repeat of what happened on 16 August 2012. I thank you.
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08 Oct, 2013
WSU crisis Stakeholder Meeting
Address by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP ( UDM President) at the WSU crisis Stakeholder Meeting at Mthatha High School Stadium on Monday, 02 September 2013 Programme Director and Ladies and Gentlemen, At the funeral of the late Mr Tsengwa in Willowvale a few years ago, Bishop Mbethe expressed feelings of great sadness about the dreadful state and poor quality of our education in the Eastern Cape. His lamentation was prompted by the continuous poor matric performance of the Eastern Cape Province. He summed up the importance of education in the Eastern Cape as follows and I quote: “The Eastern Cape is not endowed with gold, but its gold has over the always been the good quality of its education.” I guess it is precisely because of this reason that the people of this Province heeded our call to meet here today to discuss and find solutions to the challenges facing Walter Sisulu University (WSU). WSU challenges are as old as our democracy itself. This university has long-standing problems, which have been allowed to recur ceaselessly. I therefore hope that our discussions today will go a long way towards identifying and solving some, if not all, of WSU’s challenges. You will recall that this meeting is an outcome of requests for my intervention from concerned parents, students, members of the public and other stakeholders about the challenges at WSU. After I was inundated with these requests, I wrote a letter to President Zuma, asking him to set up a task team to look into the crisis at WSU. President Zuma is however yet to respond to my letter. The inordinate amount of time he is taking to respond prompted me to propose today’s meeting. I took this decision because it appears that salary negotiations between the Department of Education and WSU management and employees have deadlocked and there seems to be no resolution in sight. Even last week, Mr Qonde, the Director General of the Department of Higher Education refused to alter the Department’s stance. Nor has he even tried to meet the workers halfway on their demands. His primary argument is that WSU management and employees are paid more than workers doing the same jobs at other universities. Needless to say, the crisis at WSU negatively affects the quality and access of students to education. This is more so when one considers Government’s bizarre decision to close the university. Has Government thought about what is going to happen to the students who come from other Provinces? I would therefore like to take this opportunity to urge all of us here today to working together towards finding short, medium and long-term solutions to the crisis at WSU. The role of authorities is particularly important in this regard. However, we should not hesitate to take the legal route should we sense a tinge of intransigence on their part. As we now ready ourselves for our discussions, we should do so mindful of the fact that we are not a labour court, nor are we a bargaining council. Ours is to help restore stability and normality at WSU. You will recall that I when I called for this meeting I proposed that it be presided by the South African Council of Churches (SACC). I am now going to hand over the meeting to them. But before I do so I wish to thank the UDM King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality Councillors for sponsoring the marquee and the chairs for this event. I now hand the meeting over to the South African Council of Churches and in doing so wish the meeting the greatest success! I thank you.
Admin
08 Oct, 2013
Tribute to the late Mr Krakrayo Simayile
Tribute by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President) to the late Mr Krakrayo Simayile, a loyal UDM member, at the Langa Sports Complex, Cape Town on Wednesday, 04 September 2013 Programme Director, The Simayile family; in particular his wife and children, UDM NEC Members, Provincial Executive Members of the UDM in the Western Cape, Distinguished guests, UDM Members, Ladies and gentlemen, On behalf of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late Mr Krakrayo Simayile. Our hearts go out to you during this difficult time. Mr Simayile or Noderi – as he was affectionately known – was a long-serving member of the UDM. He worked hard to build and grow the UDM in the Western Cape. He witnessed the murders and killings of many of our members in this Province for political reasons, without any of the perpetrators being brought to book. It is sad that today we have come here to pay our last respects to him under circumstances where there is no indication whether the people responsible for his death have been arrested. In hindsight, it would appear that we erred when we agreed to adopt the current provincial system instead of creating a unitary state. The general feeling is that the provincial system perpetuates the same evils we were trying to avoid in the former homeland system. Apart from being costly and being an administrative nightmare, the provincial system is constructed along the same racial and ethnic lines of the old homeland system. KwaZulu-Natal is for Zulus, while the Eastern Cape is for Xhosas, and so on. Here in the Western Cape you get an impression that National Government is treating this Province as if it is a federal state. For instance, I fail to understand how Ministers with national competence are always reluctant to monitor whether funds allocated to this Province are indeed being used for the betterment of the lives of the poor and previously disadvantaged communities. What stops President Zuma from calling a meeting with the Premier Zille and ask her to account for her government’s dismal service delivery performance in disadvantaged communities? It seems the governing parties are only content to use the poor and disadvantaged communities in this Province as voting cattle. One wonders whether the time has not come to review the current provincial system with a view depoliticise service delivery. I thank you.
Admin
08 Oct, 2013
Minister Nzimande’s failure to address problems at the Walter Sisulu University is jeopardising futures of Eastern Cape youth
Member’s Statement by Mr Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP and UDM Deputy Secretary General, in the National Assembly regarding Minister Nzimande’s failure to address problems at the Walter Sisulu University is jeopardising futures of Eastern Cape youth The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is very concerned about the manner in which Government and the Minister of Higher Education are handling the crises at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). If not for the intervention of civil society, under the leadership of the South African Council of Churches, the current crisis would have escalated beyond the point of no return. It is an indictment of Minister Nzimande that our President had to dispatch Minister Chabane to clean up his colleague’s backyard. However, after an agreement was reached to end the seven-week long strike, we hear that classes are disrupted yet again. The allegations are that Government is negotiating in bad faith and has reneged on its promises. The UDM is of the view that the Minister Nzimande has failed to attend to the WSU challenges, which include, but are not limited to: Not intervening in the labour dispute timeously; Not reporting on his Departments’ turn-around strategy for the university; Whether its budget allocation is adequate; Whether the salaries of academics and workers are competitive; Allegations are that local companies are overlooked for university business; § Whether the merger of various institutions has delivered the desired results. The UDM calls on Government to urgently resolve the crises at WSU, because a day lost in a student’s learning, is a day too many.
Admin
04 Oct, 2013
In response to service delivery complaints in Limpopo
TO: His Excellency, Mr JG Zuma, President of the Republic South Africa Minister OC Chabane, Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Administration FROM: Bantu Holomisa, MP Dear Sirs I refer to a letter from the Minister Ohm Collins Chabane, Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Administration, regarding the abovementioned subject dated 24 July 2013. We also refer to the List of Complaints attached to our original correspondence, dated 29 April 2013, wherein the complaints of the citizens in the Municipalities of Aganang, Capricorn, Greater Giyani, Mogalakwena, Makhado and Thulamela were listed. It is encouraging to hear that there had been a joint meeting of the three sphere’s of government and that this was followed by onsite visits by Department of Monitoring and Evaluation, the Office of the Premier, departments and municipalities from 3 to 7 June 2013. We are however interested in having the details of those visits, i.e. who visited, which areas and when, so that we may correlate this information with the people on the ground. When comparing Minister Chabane’s response with the original list of complaints, we have serous concerns about the lack of detail in the response. The Presidency’s “summary” of the common issues are: Poor road and school infrastructure Lack of water Poor health facilities, such clinics This seem an oversimplification, or too broad a statement, of these communities’ problems and does not address critical matters such as lack of sanitation, housing as well as poor policing and high crime levels. We find it worrying that the aforementioned municipalities seem either unwilling or incapable to provide even the most basic of services to their citizens and ratepayers. The same could be said of the provincial government which does not compare favourably to others. A number of the complaints had been about the lack of communication and accountability of local government councillors and we ask 1) whether that the various Municipal Councils have been made aware that their Councillors are failing at this task and if they have been informed, 2) whether the Presidency received any undertaking that this will considerably improve. We are encouraged that your team has established that the challenges have been highlighted in the District Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), but we enquire about the details and timelines associated with the solutions, so that the information may be disseminated to the complainants. It would also be useful to know which departments have been tasked to serve on the IDP Forum that has been established to track progress on these issues. Hopefully the already failing community projects, as listed in the original complaint, will be comprehensively addressed at this Forum. We request the timetable of meetings of the community structures, ward committees and the economic development forums in the affected areas so that we may inform complainants to attend their meetings. Although we are happy that the Presidency has intervened in this matter, there is far too little information for the communities to be encouraged that they will see changes to their quality of life in the near future. We ask that the Presidency keep up the pressure and provide regular feedback on progress made. Yours sincerely
Admin
01 Oct, 2013
Occupied Palestinian Territories hosted by Palestine Solidarity Campaign
A screening of ‘Occupation 101’ and panel discussion about the Occupied Palestinian Territories hosted by Palestine Solidarity Campaign Stellenbosch contribution by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP (UDM President) at the University of Stellenbosch Facilitator, Fellow Member of Parliament, Mr Magama Palestine Solidarity Campaign Stellenbosch Academics and students Ladies and Gentlemen THANK YOU Thank you for the kind invitation to join you tonight, to listen and learn; and to discuss a complex issue that has been on the international agenda for many years i.e. the conflict between Palestine and Israel. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS COMPLEX ISSUE During the time of completing my matric at Jongilizwe College in 1975, we used to be given assignments by our teacher Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, who taught ‘current events’. One such assignment was the conflict in the Middle East. At that point in time, it was already clear that this particular conflict was micro-managed by the United States of America (USA) and that the rest of the world was not actively involved. Dr Henry Kissinger, the then USA Secretary of State, headed these so-called peace talks. There is broad consensus that the actions of the nations involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict violate limitations in international law. In studies conducted, psychologists have a number of terms for the tendency of humans to view their adversaries as springing from a lower order of being – these terms being pseudo-speciation or dehumanising. The conflict between these two groups have been compared to apartheid, but not apartheid as practiced in South Africa, but as apartheid as an international crime. We can compare the aforementioned conflict to apartheid, but the crucial issue is that the United Nations’ (UN) Security Council has failed to come to consensus for a resolution to this conflict as a result of the power given to certain countries. Implementation of the resolution could not be viable as a result of the veto by the USA. The International Convention of the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (1965) and other conventions may well give valid expressions on human rights.It does not give indications on how solutions can be implemented on a conflict that has been going on for such a long period. One can ask oneself: how strong does international law stand against organised religion? We see how organised religion has Muslims and Jews denying their common humanity. Thus confirming that the conflict is now out of the hands of the people of the Middle East. The conflict will not be resolved until the UN Security Council is transformed. Human rights and all that it comes with it, is vital for any people. It is a sensitive issue. As long as there is no united consensus on the resolution of this conflict, we would be held accountable for contributing to creating a generation that will be called “fundamentalist” and “extremist”. This conflict now, because of America’s interest in the Middle East, has hardened attitudes of the many countries in the Middle East, where they are accusing America of arming and funding Israel against Palestine and being a threat to neighbouring countries. The USA on the other hand has been accusing countries like Iran and Syria of helping Palestine militarily. SOLUTION It is clear that the use of force is not going to help anybody; it has been tried without success. It looks like this conflict can only be solved peacefully The question is how? Who should sponsor the peace? Perhaps this conflict should be a package to the reported warming up of the relationship between President Obama and the President of Iran as well as the flexing of muscle by Russia on the Syrian Debacle. This could be the start of things to come, on finding a lasting solution between Israel and Palestine. I thank you.
Admin
24 Sep, 2013
South Africa on the Slippery Slope
Article by Bantu Holomisa published in the New Agenda During my career I have witnessed many governments come and go. As a former head of the Transkei Military Government, I have had an overview of what the Apartheid Government and the Bantustans had done, in comparison with what the current government is doing. The previous regime’s policies and abuse of human rights is well documented; including some homelands. Although I was heading this discredited institution, I was able to forge close links with all the liberation movements, when we ascended to power, as my government lent a shoulder in fighting for the freedom of all South Africans. One of the reasons why we supported the struggle was that we were hopeful that the new government would address the backlogs and imbalances of the past, especially in the townships and homelands. Indeed when the African National Congress (ANC) ascended to power in 1994 we can say that they started well. They made much progress in areas such as electrification, access to water and providing homes for the poor in the cities. However what shocked South Africans is the poor quality of the infrastructure they were given. Electricity is not reliable; water projects are launched only to break down after a few months and the RDP houses are worse than those built for blacks by the Apartheid government. Many towns have become slums because of the poor maintenance of infrastructure across the country. Where they had failed completely was on the question of employment. We see stark difference between the economic policies of the partners in the ruling alliance and in the past twenty years they have spent much energy vacillating between which routes to follow. Unemployment and poverty is a direct contradiction of freedom. Real freedom – political, social and economic – provides dignity to a nation. On the other hand, unemployment and poverty undermines it. South Africans are suspicious and mistrust government because of perceptions that it is not equitably distributing the resources of the country. A new privileged political elite exclusively enjoys the resources. There is no consensus on a macro-economic policy that can transform the economy in a manner that could create and spread wealth wider and improve the lot of the disadvantaged majority. There are in particular concerns about the inadequacies and contradictions of the fiscal and industrial policies. Our economy suffers from jobless growth due to the confusion created by an ambivalent tripartite alliance. This ruling clique preaches elimination of unemployment in the streets and legislate retrenchments and greater unemployment in Parliament. In the past 16 years, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) has been calling for GOVERNMENT TO DO MORE! Government has a responsibility to intervene and protect the South African economy and South African jobs when necessary. Whilst Free Market Capitalism is the best economic system developed by humanity, it is still fraught with weaknesses and failures that must be actively managed. The situation in South Africa is compounded by high levels of corruption. The UDM has over the years been involved in exposing many of these scandals. We have the resolve and commitment to fight corruption, and take on any party, no matter its history or power, to ensure that South Africans have the ethical governance that they deserve. These are but some examples of the UDM’s active role in national politics and the further consolidation of South Africa’s democracy. As our actions and words have proved, the UDM is a viable, trustworthy and reliable opposition party.
Admin
17 Apr, 2013
Memo to Premier of the Eastern Cape to accept 17 April marchers’ petition
Open memo to Premier of the Eastern Cape to request her office to make a representative available to accept 17 April marchers’ petition from Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP On Wednesday, 17 April 2013, there will be a peaceful march in Mthatha by the people of the OR Tambo Region to express their disappointment and frustration with the poor state of infrastructure and lack of development in their cities and towns. Although the United Democratic Movement is facilitating the event on behalf of the people, this is a march of South Africans from across the OR Tambo Region who wish to express their dissatisfaction with the state of affairs in their area. The necessary permits and permissions have been obtained from the King Sabata Dalindyebo traffic police and the South African Police Services. We kindly request that your office sends a representative to receive the list of complaints at 12:00 at the Botha Sigcau Building in Mthatha. Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President
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