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17 Oct, 2025
A teacher’s betrayal: UDMYV demands justice for exploited young women
Statement by Zintombi Sododile, Chairperson of United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard (UDM Youth Vanguard) expresses its deep outrage at revelations that a teacher from the Eastern Cape stands accused of preying on young women through a trafficking and sexual exploitation ring. It is alleged that this educator targeted women from rural towns such as Qumbu, Mthatha and Ngqeleni, transported them to East London, and exploited their vulnerability for profit under the pretence of offering accommodation and opportunity. Although the investigation reportedly began in September 2023, it has taken more than a year for the matter to reach court. It remains unclear whether the delay lies with the police, the prosecution, or both, but it reflects a wider concern about how cases involving the exploitation of women and children are handled. The slow pace of justice deepens the trauma of survivors and weakens public confidence in law enforcement. The UDM Youth Vanguard calls for clarity and accountability from all institutions involved in the handling of this case. This case exposes a shocking abuse of authority and a moral collapse within an institution meant to nurture and protect the youth. When a teacher, entrusted with guiding the next generation, becomes a perpetrator of such heinous crimes, it betrays the trust of families, communities, and the education system itself. The UDM Youth Vanguard condemns this reprehensible conduct in the strongest terms and demands: 1. The swift and uncompromising prosecution of all those implicated in this trafficking network. 2. An immediate internal investigation by the Department of Education to determine how this went undetected. 3. Comprehensive psychosocial support and protection for all affected survivors. 4. The introduction of stricter vetting and ethics oversight for educators and school staff. 5. A national awareness campaign on human trafficking and sexual exploitation targeting schools and communities. We call on the Minister of Basic Education and the Minister of Police to treat this case as a wake-up call. South Africa cannot allow those entrusted with public service to use their positions to exploit the poor and the powerless. We cannot build a just society while predators hide behind positions of trust. The UDMYV pledges to raise awareness among young people about their rights, to support survivors in seeking justice, and to continue speaking out against abuse wherever it occurs. Every child deserves safety, respect, and a future free from exploitation.
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16 Oct, 2025
No town left behind: UDM backs call to re-industrialise rural and small communities
Statement by Yongama Zigebe, Councillor in the City of Johannesburg for the United Democratic Movement and Chairperson of the S79 Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the release of the report titled “The Impact of De-Industrialisation on Small Towns: Case Studies of Lichtenburg and Komati,” presented yesterday at the Heidelberg Symposium. This ground-breaking report, produced by Frontline Africa Advisory in partnership with the Industrial Development Think Tank (IDTT) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), provides a sobering analysis of how the collapse of industrial capacity in small towns has deepened unemployment, weakened municipal sustainability, and eroded the social fabric of local communities. For the UDM, this report reinforces our long-held conviction that South Africa’s economic revival depends on a deliberate, targeted, and inclusive strategy to re-industrialise small towns and rural areas. It affirms what the UDM has consistently championed: that a vibrant and resilient economy cannot be built on the prosperity of metropolitan centres alone; it must draw its strength from productive, self-sustaining communities across all regions of our country. The UDM was represented at the Heidelberg Symposium by Cllr Yongama Zigebe, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities in the City of Johannesburg. Cllr Zigebe’s participation signified the Movement’s commitment to engaging in evidence-based policy dialogue and to advancing a developmental agenda that restores dignity and opportunity to South Africa’s forgotten towns. The UDM commends the report’s emphasis on place-based industrial renewal, the District Development Model (DDM), and the rebuilding of the industrial commons, which include roads, water systems, energy reliability, and local governance institutions that enable production and investment. These interventions speak directly to the UDM’s policy position that economic transformation must be locally grounded, transparent, and inclusive, ensuring that every South African community becomes a site of growth and productivity rather than decline. We also welcome the report’s gendered and youth-centred analysis, which recognises that women, young people, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by economic collapse. The UDM reiterates that re-industrialisation must be socially just, integrating empowerment and equality into every policy and programme aimed at rebuilding our small towns. The UDM, calls on government to translate these findings into urgent action by aligning industrial policy, infrastructure investment, and skills development through the DDM and in partnership with local communities. Revitalising production, diversifying anchor industries, and professionalising municipal governance are critical to restoring South Africa’s economic dignity. In welcoming this report, the UDM renews its call for a new social compact for re-industrialisation that is collaborative, transparent, and responsive to the lived realities of our people. Small towns are not relics of the past; they are the frontiers of South Africa’s economic future.
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16 Oct, 2025
UDM calls for unity and respect as SAHRC takes stand on hate speech
Statement by Yongama Zigebe, Councillor in the City of Johannesburg for the United Democratic Movement and Chairperson of the S79 Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes and welcomes the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) decision to refer Mr Ngizwe Mchunu to the Equality Court following his remarks concerning the LGBTQIA+ community. This development marks an important step toward ensuring accountability and affirming that freedom of expression must never cross into the realm of hate speech or incitement. This matter underscores the vital role of our democratic institutions in maintaining respect, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law The UDM was the first political movement to respond to this incident. Our human rights advocate, Mxolisi Makhubu, lodged a formal complaint with the SAHRC immediately after Mr Mchunu’s remarks went viral, drawing millions of views and hundreds of comments openly calling for violence against queer people. The UDM recognised this not as an isolated event but as part of a broader moral and social crisis that demanded urgent institutional response. In parallel, a formal letter was submitted to the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, urging government accountability and leadership in protecting vulnerable groups from hate speech and targeted violence. The letter was tabled by UDM Cllr Yongama Zigebe, Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Gender, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in the City of Johannesburg. “We welcome this decisive move by the SAHRC as a victory for human dignity and a reaffirmation of our Constitution’s founding principles,” said Cllr Yongama Zigebe. “This matter has never been about opinion or culture. It is about human rights. No South African should live in fear because of who they love or how they express their identity. The Equality Court must send a clear message that hate speech and incitement to violence will be met with firm consequences.” The UDM recognises and respects the rich cultural traditions that shape South Africa’s identity. However, culture can never be used as a shield for discrimination or violence. True cultural pride is rooted in Ubuntu, in recognising the humanity and dignity of all South Africans. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of belief and expression, but those freedoms end where they infringe upon the rights and safety of others. Respect for culture must go hand in hand with respect for human rights. UDM human rights advocate Mxolisi Makhubu added: “The UDM acted swiftly because silence is complicity. We cannot preach equality on paper and tolerate hate in practice. The SAHRC’s intervention is welcome, but this must also spark broader government action to educate, protect, and heal.” The UDM expresses concern over the divisive public reaction that followed the celebration of a same-sex traditional wedding. What should have been embraced as a moment of love and cultural pride regrettably became the subject of hurtful commentary and misunderstanding. The UDM believes that such occasions should inspire respect, inclusion, and appreciation of South Africa’s diversity. The UDM calls on government, civil society, and traditional leadership to open channels of dialogue rather than trading insults or deepening divisions. At present, a widening gap of misunderstanding exists between cultural communities and the LGBTQIA+ community. This must be bridged through respectful conversation, public education, and empathy. South Africa’s democracy was built on dialogue, not hostility. The UDM urges all leaders to foster open engagement so that culture and human rights can coexist in harmony, guided by the true spirit of Ubuntu. The UDM remains unwavering in its commitment to justice, equality, and human rights, the pillars upon which our democracy stands.
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16 Oct, 2025
Three decades later, the ANC still fails Eastern Cape learners
Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape condemns the ongoing decay and abandonment of school infrastructure across the province. What we see today is not a sudden crisis but the direct outcome of three decades of neglect under the African National Congress (ANC) government. The ruling party’s failures in planning, oversight and accountability have left thousands of learners without safe and functional schools, while its officials hide behind bureaucracy and empty promises. No one takes responsibility for the hundreds of closed school buildings scattered across the province. Public infrastructure is collapsing while officials pass blame from one department to another. More than a thousand schools have been shut down, many left vandalised and stripped of value, while children in other communities are still learning in structures that are unsafe, overcrowded or falling apart. The tragedy of the Ginsberg Crèche in Qonce, formerly known as King William’s Town, founded by Steve Biko as a living symbol of self-reliance and community dignity, captures the depth of this failure. To allow such a historic and visionary space to decay is an act of utter disrespect, not only to Biko’s legacy but to the children it was meant to serve. A place once built to nurture young minds now lies in ruins, overrun by weeds and indifference. It stands as a monument to how far this province has drifted from its moral duty to protect and educate its children. The UDM in the Eastern Cape calls for the following urgent actions: 1. Eastern Cape Department of Education to conduct a full audit of all closed, abandoned and collapsing schools, publish the findings, and present an infrastructure recovery plan with clear deadlines for refurbishment, reconstruction and security. 2. Provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to take responsibility for maintaining and securing all disused school properties to prevent vandalism, theft and further deterioration. 3. Provincial Treasury to ensure that funds allocated for education infrastructure are ring-fenced and fully spent within the financial year, with public quarterly reports on expenditure and progress. 4. National Department of Basic Education to intervene where provincial capacity has failed through targeted support, technical expertise and oversight to fast-track safe and dignified learning facilities. 5. Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education to institute a formal inquiry into the collapse and abandonment of public-school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape and demand accountability for wasted funds and stalled projects. 6. Communities and School Governing Bodies to guard against vandalism and theft and insist that local schools and historic educational sites such as the Ginsberg Crèche are restored and protected for future generations. The UDM in the Eastern Cape echoes the call to find constructive and community-driven alternative uses for mothballed school buildings so that these spaces can once again serve public good rather than fall into ruin. No province with such deep educational need can afford to lose even a single classroom to incompetence.
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14 Oct, 2025
We go to learn, not to die: UDESMO demands justice at Nelson Mandela University
Statement by Lucia Matomane, UDESMO Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson The United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) in the Eastern Cape deeply is outraged and heartbroken by last night’s brutal break-in at a Nelson Mandela University (NMU) residence in Summerstrand, a crime that left one female student stabbed to death and another gravely injured. This is not just another headline. This is a fellow student gone. A family shattered, and a community with trust broken. For too long, NMU students, especially women, have lived in fear in places that are supposed to be safe. How many times have we heard of robberies, altercations, deaths, or threats in off-campus residences, or on-campus spaces where security is lax? In 2023, there was the murder of Zimkhitha Ntshisela, a student at NMU’s George campus, who was violently stabbed in her own room, and in October 2024, another NMU student was killed during an altercation with a residence manager at a private off-campus residence. These are not isolated incidents; they form a pattern of negligence, of broken promises, of inadequate leadership. We cannot accept a reality where our institutions of learning become unsafe spaces for the very youth we send to build their futures. How does an armed and unknown man gain access to a residence undetected? Where was security when our sisters were under attack? These are questions NMU must answer urgently and transparently. We demand accountability from the university. The safety of students cannot continue to be an afterthought. We call on NMU management to immediately review and strengthen its security measures at all residences, both on and off campus. Our children are sent to university to learn, not to be killed. We stand in solidarity with the families, friends, and the entire NMU community as they mourn this senseless loss. May the soul of the departed rest in peace, may the injured student make a full and speedy recovery, and may justice be served without delay.
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14 Oct, 2025
Rural women deserve more than platitudes, they deserve power
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The story of rural South Africa is written in the hands of women who work the soil, raise families and rebuild communities in the face of hardship. Tomorrow is International Day of Rural Women, and the United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) calls for their recognition not as beneficiaries of policy, but as partners in shaping the nation’s future. Across South Africa’s villages and farmlands, rural women anchor our food systems and local economies, yet their contribution remains undervalued and under-supported. Many continue to face barriers to owning or inheriting land, limited access to clean water and energy, and exclusion from local decision-making. Complicated land application procedures and unclear local regulations, combined with traditional gatekeeping and weak oversight, continue to deny rural women the security, dignity and opportunity they deserve. The result is predictable: hunger, unemployment and disempowerment. When rural women lack secure land, clean water, reliable energy and protection from climate shocks, entire communities fall behind. Yet despite these challenges, rural women continue to feed households, nurture future generations and hold the fabric of our society together. UDEMWO believes that true gender equality cannot be achieved until rural women enjoy the same rights, resources and respect as their urban counterparts. Empowering them is not charity; it is an investment in South Africa’s social and economic recovery. UDEMWO calls on the Government of National Unity to: 1. Work with traditional leaders to develop a Gender-Responsive Communal Land Framework that honours cultural heritage while ensuring that women can also enjoy secure rights to land. 2. Prioritise rural water, sanitation and clean-energy infrastructure as part of the national anti-poverty and food-security strategy. 3. Invest in climate-resilient agriculture and skills development led by rural women farmers, cooperatives and youth. 4. Ensure that every government budget includes specific allocations for rural women’s development, so that promises of equality are backed by real resources and measurable results. 5. Include rural women’s voices in climate, land and local-government forums where decisions affecting their lives are made. 6. Task the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities with leading a coordinated national programme to monitor rural women’s development, ensuring that every department and province delivers tangible outcomes in land access, services and economic empowerment. As we celebrate the courage of rural women, UDEMWO reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that no woman is left behind in land ownership, in leadership or in the fight against hunger and climate injustice. Rural women feed the nation. It is time South Africa fed their hopes with justice, dignity and opportunity.
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14 Oct, 2025
The fire next door: South Africa’s neglected settlements
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement Each shack fire leaves behind not only ash but a reminder of South Africa’s unfinished promise of dignity for all. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) calls attention to the growing pattern of fires in informal settlements as a crisis of governance and human rights that demands immediate national intervention. In recent weeks, blazes in Masiphumelele, Umbilo and Sivilcon have claimed lives, displaced hundreds of families and destroyed thousands of homes. These tragedies expose a deep failure of planning, service provision and accountability in the management of urban and peri-urban settlements. In Masiphumelele, Cape Town, one person died, and 80 residents were left homeless after 20 informal dwellings were reduced to ash. In Umbilo, Durban, more than 170 structures were lost in a single blaze. In Sivilcon, Pretoria, 70 shacks burned within minutes, displacing over 150 residents. Between September 2024 and February 2025, 2 860 informal structures burned down nationwide. The Western Cape was the hardest hit, with 2 088 structures destroyed during this period, about 73% of the national total. The pattern is the same across our cities: crowded conditions, flammable materials, unsafe wiring, lack of access roads and the absence of formal infrastructure turn every spark into catastrophe. Recent research confirms that a single blaze can consume twenty shacks within five minutes under mild wind conditions. Behind these numbers are human beings who lose homes, possessions, documents and loved ones. Entire communities are forced to start again from nothing. Relief agencies such as Gift of the Givers and local NGOs step in to provide blankets and meals, but the cycle repeats because prevention has never been institutionalised. Shack fires are not accidents of poverty. They are the direct outcome of policy neglect and institutional failure. For years, government authorities have treated informal settlements as temporary spaces rather than permanent communities deserving of basic services. By withholding electricity, water, roads and fire hydrants, municipalities have entrenched conditions that make these areas unsafe and unliveable. This denial of infrastructure is not accidental. It is a consequence of choices that have left millions of South Africans exposed to preventable tragedy. Studies in South Africa and internationally have shown that electrified settlements experience far fewer fires than those relying on candles, paraffin or illegal connections. The solution, therefore, is not endless training and disaster relief, but systematic electrification and incremental upgrading. South Africa cannot continue to treat shack dwellers as people who must live and die by candlelight. Urban design interventions must start from the reality that most informal settlements are already densely built and cannot simply be redesigned. Safety improvements must therefore be achievable within existing layouts. Many settlements still rely on a handful of communal taps or irregular water supply, leaving residents defenceless during fires. Government must prioritise the installation of reliable communal taps within reasonable distance, ensure maintenance of pressure and supply, and coordinate with emergency services to provide mobile water tanks in high-risk areas. These practical measures, developed together with residents, can save lives without uprooting communities. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction recognises uncontrolled informal-dwelling fires as a significant global threat to life and well-being. South Africa’s own disaster management frameworks must therefore include fire prevention in informal settlements as a priority hazard category. Prevention, preparedness and risk reduction must take precedence over reactive relief. The UDM calls for the following actions: 1. The Department of Electricity and Energy must fast-track a national audit and phased electrification programme for all informal settlements, prioritising high-density areas most at risk of fire. 2. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs must ensure that every municipality integrates shack-fire risk reduction into its Disaster Management Plan and allocates ring-fenced funding for prevention, not only emergency relief. 3. The Department of Human Settlements must improve basic infrastructure within informal settlements by creating safe access routes for emergency vehicles and expanding water access points to support firefighting efforts. 4. The Department of Statistics South Africa must strengthen data collection, research and analysis on shack fires to capture their human, technical and environmental causes, and ensure that findings are publicly reported to guide prevention strategies. 5. The Department of Local Government must work with communities to establish fire-safety units trained and equipped to serve as first responders using extinguishers, alarms and communication tools. 6. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition must promote partnerships with innovators developing technologies such as heat-based early-warning systems and community micro-insurance models that reduce losses, enable faster recovery and strengthen resilience. 7. The Government of National Unity must end the policy of classifying informal settlements as “temporary” to justify the denial of basic services. Safety, dignity and equal access to infrastructure are constitutional rights, not privileges. Every shack fire is a mirror of our national priorities. It reflects the unfinished business of spatial justice and the failure to treat poor communities as full citizens. Lives continue to be lost because authorities have normalised living without infrastructure. The UDM urges the Government of National Unity to make the prevention of shack fires a national governance priority. South Africa must replace fragmented relief efforts with a long-term programme for electrification, upgrading and safer living conditions. Words of sympathy will not rebuild what negligence destroys.
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13 Oct, 2025
Heartbreak on South Africa’s roads: safety of passengers should never be overlooked
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is deeply saddened by the devastating loss of lives following the shocking bus accident that occurred on the N1 North, near Ingwe Lodge in Limpopo, yesterday, and the taxi accident that left 18 children injured on the N3 highway near the Mariannhill Toll Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal this morning. Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to the grieving families, survivors, and everyone affected by these painful incidents. These tragedies are a tender reminder of how fragile life is. Moments of national sorrow such as these remind us of the ongoing challenges facing our transport systems. Every journey, whether short or long, depends on a transport network that must be both reliable and safe. Consequently, we must confront the conditions that allow some of these accidents to happen. South Africa’s transport infrastructure and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened as a matter of urgency. It is imperative to have regular and consistent vehicle inspections to determine the roadworthiness of cars, buses, taxis, and scholar transport vehicles. Equally important is ensuring that drivers transporting passengers, particularly schoolchildren, hold valid Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs) and comply fully with all safety requirements. Regular vehicle inspections and strict adherence to roadworthiness standards are critical in preventing such tragedies. The safety of passengers should never be overlooked. As a country, we must continue to strengthen our transport infrastructure and promote a culture of safety and accountability. These tragic incidents should compel authorities to prioritise transport safety and to reinforce monitoring systems. Such measures are essential to a broader national commitment to safeguarding lives on our roads.
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