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16 May, 2025
Statement by Bantu Holomisa on President Ramaphosa’s visit to the United States
Statement by Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa, MP President of the United Democratic Movement As President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares for an important diplomatic engagement with the leadership of the United States, we take this opportunity to reflect on the recent tensions that have emerged between our two nations. These tensions have largely been attributed to unsubstantiated allegations of genocide and land being taken without compensation, among others, against certain communities within South Africa. I remember it as though it was just yesterday when I accompanied President Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki to the United States in October 1993, where President Mandela made a powerful appeal to the international community during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, calling for the lifting of sanctions against South Africa. That call was heeded by the global community, opening the door for South Africa’s reintegration into the global economy. Today, countries like China and the United States stand as South Africa’s largest trading partners. This economic relationship was significantly facilitated by the work of the Binational Commission, which enabled many companies and institutions to strengthen trade and cooperation between the two nations. To ensure a credible and forward-looking path, we call for the resumption of a Binational Commission on the same scale and structure as the historic Al Gore/Thabo Mbeki Binational Commission. This mechanism played a significant role in enhancing mutual trust, policy alignment and coordinated development efforts. A renewed Binational Commission can serve as a meaningful platform to address the current misunderstandings and to create space for practical cooperation. It is in the interest of both countries, and indeed the international community, that these concerns be approached in a constructive and solution-oriented manner. This meeting should not become an arena for blame or division. Rather, it should serve as a platform for shared understanding and cooperative action. Such a commission should include dedicated sub-committees on the Economy, Security, Education and Environment, where both governments can regularly engage on key strategic priorities. This structure would also allow for in-depth discussions on areas of concern and opportunities for collaboration, ensuring that all sectors of society benefit from the outcomes. Importantly, the work of this commission should not occur in isolation. Both Parliaments must be kept informed of its progress, ensuring transparency, accountability and alignment with national interests. Parliamentary oversight will also help institutionalise the work of the commission beyond political cycles. In addition to this, the departments responsible for trade and economic development, namely the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the United States Department of Commerce, should work closely to identify high-potential sectors and unlock investment opportunities in areas such as energy, agriculture, technology and manufacturing. We must remain conscious that unresolved tensions and negative narratives, if left unaddressed, can erode investor confidence and economic stability. It is therefore essential that diplomacy, cooperation and mutual respect guide our engagements. The weather predictions are promising, setting the stage for what is expected to be a remarkable day on the course. We trust that these two esteemed golfers, each distinguished in their own right and united by a deep love for the sport, will tee off with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship. As they take their first swings, the world watches with keen anticipation, hoping not only for a day of excellent golf, but also for a celebration of talent, passion, and the enduring spirit of the game as well as mutual national interests. Once again, this reminds me of the day when President Mandela, President Thabo Mbeki, Mr Mahlangu of KwaNdebele and I travelled to the United Nations Security Council to make a compelling case for the endorsement of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union, to send monitors to observe and help manage the escalating violence in South Africa. In his characteristic foresight and diplomacy, President Mandela engaged then-President George HW Bush even before the meeting to secure the support of the United States. That request was accepted, and as a result, the lives of many black South Africans were saved through timely intervention. These moments in history remind us of the enduring importance of leadership, partnership, and unity of purpose. This visit carries with it that same spirit of global engagement, shared values, and a collective hope for a more just and peaceful future.
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15 May, 2025
UDM calls for urgent reform and accountability at the National Lotteries Commission
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is concerned by the findings of the Auditor-General’s 2023/24 report on the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). The qualified audit opinion, along with serious concerns around internal controls, non-compliance, and nearly R1 billion in unspent grant funding, paints a troubling picture of an institution still failing in its mandate to support vulnerable communities through grant funding. The audit highlights include grant mismanagement, delays caused by critical vacancies, and repeated failure to investigate irregular expenditure. The underspending of R957 million in grant allocations is unacceptable, particularly when those funds could have addressed urgent needs in communities across South Africa. Of great concern are the material irregularities involving incomplete or undelivered projects such as the Motheo Sports Complex and the eDumbe Old Age Home. These are not just administrative oversights but broken commitments to the people who depend on these services. While the UDM acknowledges some improvements under the new board and commissioner, the slow pace of reform and continued vacancies in key positions remain a serious barrier to restoring functionality and integrity at the NLC. The UDM calls on the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition to take urgent action. This must include the swift appointment of competent personnel, the immediate strengthening of internal controls, full investigation of financial misconduct, and regular public reporting to restore trust. South Africans deserve a National Lotteries Commission that is transparent, accountable, and focused on serving the public good. The ongoing mismanagement of public funds meant to uplift the most vulnerable is unacceptable and must be brought to an end.
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14 May, 2025
UDM BCMM expresses concern over 3-day water outage in Mdantsane
Statement by Anele Skoti, United Democratic Movement Councillor and Whip in Buffalo City Metropolitan Council The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) deeply concerned about the ongoing water outage in the Mdantsane area, which has now persisted for more than three days. This situation has caused immense frustration and hardship for residents who rely on consistent water supply for their daily needs, sanitation, and well-being. Despite numerous enquiries and growing public concern, there has been no official explanation provided to residents. After consulting with the Ward Councillor, we were informed that the matter is still under investigation. Alarmingly, it has also been confirmed that councillors themselves have not been briefed or updated by the relevant authorities regarding the cause or expected duration of the outage. This lack of transparency and communication is unacceptable. Access to water is a basic human right, and the failure to provide timely information or implement contingency plans reflects poorly on those responsible for service delivery in the area. The UDM BCMM demands that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality urgently clarify the cause of the disruption, provide an estimated time for restoration, and ensure that emergency relief measures, such as water tankers, are rolled out without delay. Communities cannot be left in the dark while enduring such a critical service interruption.
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13 May, 2025
UDESMO mourns the tragic loss of Banoyolo Krakra
Statement by Lucia Matomane, UDESMO Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson The United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) expresses deep sorrow and outrage at the murder of Banoyolo Krakra, a beloved student at Lovedale TVET College and a proud member of our student community. Banoyolo was a committed young woman who was pursuing an NCV Level 2 qualification in Generic Management. She showed remarkable responsibility and compassion by using her NSFAS funds to support her family before returning to her studies. Her brutal killing is a cruel and senseless act that has robbed her family, community, and our country of a promising life and future leader. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Krakra family and to all who knew and loved Banoyolo. Their pain is also our pain. UDESMO stands in solidarity with them during this time of unimaginable grief and we will support their call for justice every step of the way. This tragedy is yet another painful reminder of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide crisis that continues to destroy lives, particularly those of young women. We call on the South African Police Service to leave no stone unturned in their investigation and to ensure that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice. UDESMO also calls on Lovedale TVET College to prioritise student safety and to ensure that adequate trauma counselling is made available to Banoyolo’s classmates who are reeling from this devastating loss. Although Banoyolo was not found on campus, her body was discovered on Cambridge Street in Qonce, near a local tavern, by a patrolling security officer. She had suffered stab wounds to her upper body. This tragic incident highlights the broader safety concerns affecting students beyond campus boundaries and demands urgent attention from institutions and law enforcement alike. Banoyolo’s life mattered. Her memory will live on in our commitment to fight for safer campuses and communities. May her soul rest in peace. We will never forget her.
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12 May, 2025
International Nurses Day: honouring Florence Nightingale’s legacy by standing with South Africa’s nurses
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) joins the world in observing International Nurses Day, a moment to recognise, celebrate, and reflect on the indispensable role nurses play in society. This year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. The Economic Power of Care”, calls us to reimagine not only healthcare but how we value care work itself, materially, morally, and structurally. As we pay tribute to nurses across our country, we pause to reflect on the enduring legacy of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale’s unwavering dedication to treating wounded soldiers in the Crimean War, often by candlelight, gave birth to a profession rooted in selfless service and scientific excellence. But beyond her famed lamp, Nightingale carried a radical belief: that care is not charity, but justice. That nurses are not assistants, but leaders in health. That public health must be based on evidence, empathy, and equity. It is precisely this vision that guides the UDM in its unwavering support for nurses in South Africa, and our rejection of the injustices they continue to face. Solidarity with UNTU-SA: pay the promised rural allowance The UDM stands in resolute solidarity with the United Nurses Trade Union of South Africa (UNTU-SA) in their ongoing campaign to secure the rural allowance that was promised, but still not delivered, to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unacceptable that the same nurses who held the nation together in its most fragile moment are now being failed by the very institutions that applauded them. The UDM demands: • Immediate payment of outstanding rural allowances to qualifying nurses. • Full transparency from the Department of Health on outstanding cases, timelines, and accountability. • Structural embedding of rural and hardship allowances in all healthcare worker contracts moving forward. Urban struggle: nurses in informal settlements under siege Nightingale once said, “The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.” Yet in clinics across South Africa’s informal settlements, from KwaMashu to Alexandra, from Khayelitsha to Ivory Park, harm is the order of the day. Nurses in these facilities operate under: • Dangerous working conditions marked by overcrowding, failing infrastructure, and lack of basic medical supplies. • Rampant insecurity, where nurses are forced to serve in areas plagued by crime and insufficient law enforcement. • Unmanageable patient loads, with too few staff to meet the growing health needs of sprawling communities. These nurses embody Nightingale’s values every day — not through candles, but through courage. The UDM calls for: 1. A national infrastructure and safety plan for clinics in informal settlements and rural areas. 2. Urgent increase in healthcare staffing and nurse-to-patient ratios across high-pressure zones. 3. Incentives, psychosocial support, and professional development pathways for nurses working in marginalised communities. A country’s character is revealed in how it treats its healers Nursing is not a cost to the state; it is the spine of our healthcare system. If we are to honour Florence Nightingale’s legacy in any meaningful way, we must begin by honouring our nurses not just with words, but with policy, protection, and pay. On this International Nurses Day, the UDM recommits to championing the rights, dignity, and voice of every nurse in South Africa, in Parliament, in Councils, and on the ground. To the nurses of South Africa: your fight is our fight. You carry not only the lamp, but the light.
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10 May, 2025
UDM Gauteng condemns Gauteng government's return of R1.8 billion amid service delivery failures
Statement by Andile Jabavu, Provincial Secretary of the United Democratic Movement in Gauteng The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in Gauteng expresses grave concern and outrage following reports that the Gauteng Provincial Government has returned R1.8 billion to the National Treasury due to underspending - a scandalous act of negligence in a province plagued by failing infrastructure, under-resourced clinics, crumbling schools, and social decay. It is both unethical and unconscionable that a government entrusted with public resources could fail to spend funds allocated to improve the lives of its people — especially in a climate of growing poverty, youth unemployment, and community instability. Healthcare and human suffering ignored The revelation that the Department of Health alone failed to spend R1.1 billion is particularly damning. Our public hospitals and clinics remain overcrowded, understaffed, and chronically under-resourced. Lives are lost daily, and yet the provincial government could not spend what was budgeted. This is not just mismanagement - it borders on criminal neglect. Abandonment of NPOs and the most vulnerable Even more disgraceful is the fact that funding for Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) has shrunk dramatically, with over R1.7 billion unspent between 2014 and 2025. As a result, the number of funded NPOs has dropped from 2,061 to 1,328, cutting lifelines to orphans, persons with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, and the elderly. These are the silent casualties of an administration that has lost its moral compass. Collapse of ethical governance Recent findings that 37% of Gauteng’s senior officials failed lifestyle audits conducted by the Special Investigating Unit further confirm what the UDM has long warned - that ethical rot and political patronage are corroding governance in this province. Public service is no longer about the people but about protecting cadres, connections, and comfort zones. The UDM in Gauteng demands accountability and systemic reform and calls for: 1. An immediate independent forensic investigation into the causes of the underspending. 2. Accountability for heads of departments and MECs who presided over this failure. 3. The reinstatement of lapsed NPO contracts and full disbursement of funds to social support programmes. 4. A full audit of unspent funds in all departments across provinces to prevent repeat offenses. Returning unspent money is not a sign of prudence - it is an admission of failed leadership. While the Premier and his executive dither, the people of Gauteng continue to suffer. The UDM in Gauteng stands with the people and calls for a new era of ethical, people-centred governance - not bureaucratic betrayal.
Admin
10 May, 2025
UDM Gauteng decries ethical failures in Gauteng government as 37% of senior officials fail lifestyle audits
Statement by Andile Jabavu, Provincial Secretary of the United Democratic Movement in Gauteng The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in Gauteng is deeply disturbed by revelations that nearly 40% of senior officials within the Gauteng Provincial Government have failed their lifestyle audits. This includes high-ranking departmental heads, CEOs of provincial entities, and procurement officials. This staggering figure, 37%, is not just a statistical red flag, but a moral crisis. It reveals a culture of impunity that continues to thrive under Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s administration, despite repeated promises of clean governance and ethical leadership. Lifestyle audits are designed to uphold public trust by ensuring that those entrusted with state resources live within their means and maintain integrity. Yet, when such a significant portion of senior leadership fails to meet this standard, and faces no consequence, the very credibility of government is called into question. The UDM in Gauteng demands: 1. Immediate disciplinary and legal action against all implicated officials, including suspension and criminal investigation where warranted; 2. Full transparency, with the Gauteng Government releasing the audit findings to the public; 3. Establishment of an independent oversight body to monitor corruption risks and procurement processes; 4. Institutionalisation of lifestyle audits across all provinces, with enforcement mechanisms built into performance agreements. It is unacceptable that while communities in Gauteng continue to suffer from poor service delivery, crumbling infrastructure, and under-resourced public services, senior officials abuse their positions without consequence. The UDM in Gauteng remains committed to championing a clean, accountable, and people-centred government. We will escalate this matter through the relevant oversight committees, and we urge the Public Protector and the Auditor-General to intervene and uphold constitutional principles of transparency and good governance.
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10 May, 2025
UDEMWO welcomes Timothy Omotoso’s arrest
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) welcomes the arrest of controversial pastor Timothy Omotoso on immigration-related charges. We sincerely hope that this time, the law will take its full and proper course and that the arrest will not become another example of impunity disguised as religious expression. Women and girls across South Africa watched in disbelief as Omotoso, who was recently acquitted on serious charges of sexual assault and human trafficking, returned to public life with astonishing speed. That acquittal, which came after a seven-year detention, was not the result of his exoneration but rather a consequence of poor prosecution and a failure to present key evidence. His highly publicised return to preaching through the so-called New Dawn Crusade has been deeply distressing to survivors of gender-based violence and to all those who believe in justice and accountability. UDEMWO calls on the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service to pursue this matter with diligence and transparency. The public deserves to know the legal basis for Omotoso’s continued presence in the country, and all actions taken must reflect the seriousness of the charges and circumstances. Far too often, South Africa has become a refuge for foreign religious leaders who exploit their positions of influence to prey on the vulnerable. Figures like Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso, both of whom have faced serious allegations of rape and sexual abuse, are emblematic of a dangerous trend where charismatic authority is used to shield criminal behaviour. These individuals manipulate faith to gain trust, silence victims, and avoid accountability. South Africa must tighten its immigration and regulatory frameworks to ensure that those who claim to lead in faith do not use our hospitality as a cover for predation and impunity. The pulpit must never become a hiding place for perpetrators. Furthermore, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) has reached crisis levels in our country. The fact that a woman is murdered every three hours is not merely a statistic. It is a national shame and a painful indictment of our collective failure to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. This crisis demands urgent, coordinated, and uncompromising action from all sectors of government and civil society. South Africa cannot claim to be a free and just society while women live in fear, suffer in silence, or are silenced by violence. In the end, no person is above the law, regardless of their religious title or popularity. South Africa must not allow religious platforms to become sanctuaries for those accused of abuse. We hope that this arrest marks a turning point. Let justice be done, and this time, let it be done without fear, favour or interference. No backroom deals, favours or corrupt acts must allow Mr Omotoso to escape the full might of the law.
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