Admin
15 Dec, 1998
R5 million Transnet bash a disgrace
Statement by Bantu Holomisa Spending R5 million on the inaugural trip of the second Blue Train is ridiculous. The need to market the existence of the Blue Train is not argued. The sensibility of spending R5 million while TRANSNET is talking about retrenchments does not make any sense. This spending is a clear signal that government’s priorities and the urgent needs of the country and her people differ. The government can not on the one hand tell the South African people that they are fighting poverty and on the other hand they spend millions on a luxurious image building trip for the president to be. The new Blue Train trip is nothing more than a weak excuse to enhance the image of Mbeki and to give content to the likes of the “African Renaissance” ghost. The concept of African Renaissance is not government policy, but the result of one man’s dreams. How does the ANC government then justifies spending this amount of money on this issue? The UDM believes that the money could have been put to better use inside the country by making it available through programmes to entrepreneurs who in the end would contribute to new jobs being created for South Africans. The UDM is not impressed by government’s continuous failure to provide to the needs of South Africans first.
Admin
10 Dec, 1998
Further deception regarding Lesotho uncovered
Statement by UDM President Attached herewith is an agreement between the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho concerning the status of armed forces in the Kingdom of Lesotho. What is striking about the document is that the paragraph on Command and Control is completely silent on the military role of SADC. The ANC government lied to the public when they said that our troops (SANDF) in Lesotho were under the command of the SADC forces. Contrary to what the South African public was told by the ANC government no provision was made for any SADC forces involvement. The agreement states further that “members of the sending Party (RSA) shall have all the rights and powers bestowed, and the responsibilities charged upon them by South African law and that they shall exercise their rights, powers and responsibilities under the same conditions as required by South African law. With this information at hand can the ANC government still deny that they had invaded Lesotho or annexed Lesotho as their 10th Province?
Admin
27 Nov, 1998
Registration mess
Statement by Deputy-National Secretary Despite promises by the IEC and the government that everything is in place for registration in the five provinces, the situation on the ground is a disaster. Thousands of South Africans may very well ask themselves whether today is the first of April. Phones at the UDM National Office and in the five provincial offices have not stopped ringing as people are reporting complaints. At the National Office staff were redeployed to answer calls and take down complaints. Some of the more common complaints are: 1. Registration stations did not open because officials did not arrive. No explanation was provided and no provisions for alternatives were made. 2. In certain areas registration points that were advertised did not exist. An example of this is registration station no. 123 Cnr. Flufftail and Braam Pretorius streets, Flufftail Park, Montana in Pretoria. 3. Batteries of the scanners became flat and the IEC officials did not; have extra batteries or chargers available and as a result closed the registration stations. 4. In Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Soshanguve registration stations did not have the voting district maps and as a result could not continue with the registration process. 5. In Cullinan the scanners did not work and voters were told they would be registered manually – How is this possible?; Why then the whole fuss about bar-coded ID? 6. In all Provinces reports were received of ANC officials wearing ANC T-shirts and handing out ANC pamphlets and material inside the registration station. A direct contravention of the Electoral Act.7. Inside registration stations there are no way to distinguish between IEC officials and ANC officials. The President and the Deputy President of the UDM experienced first hand the level of confusion and ANC biased in the registration process. When they wanted to complete the registration form, they were confronted with an ANC form and not a registration form. The UDM took these forms and other ANC documentation from the registration station to hand in as part of the complaint. The ANC official though confronted with this continued as if nothing happened and with us and the media present, took the form of an unexpected member of the public.8.Within the IEC confusion reigns. Three calls to the same number provided three completely different answers – and that on a basic question like what is the rule regarding where one should register: should it be where you stay, where you work, a choice of those or can you register at any point? Call 1: You can register where ever you want. Call 2: You must register in your voting district. Call 3: You can register where ever you want in Gauteng, but that address that you gave me where you stay does not exist. (Names of officials available) We can laugh about the situation, we can make jokes about the situation, and urban legends will develop as a result of the situation. The fact of the matter remains that the South African democracy is under threat. ;At the end of this weekend millions of South Africans would not have been able to take the first step in what is a fundamental right enshrined in our constitution. The IEC must take responsibility for the threat the South African democracy is under. South Africans are entitled to have answers to the following questions: 1. Why was proper planning not done and logistics not in place? 2. What will the IEC do to rectify the situation and to ensure that there will not be a repetition of the chaos next weekend and on subsequent registration dates? 3. What steps will the IEC take to ensure South Africans an acceptable level of organisation for the 1999 elections? 4. Will the IEC take steps against those IEC officials who are responsible for the chaos experienced today? Will they be removed and replaced by competent people?The IEC is serving the people of South Africa. They are accountable for all their actions and for the money that they spend to the South African tax payer and voter public – not to any political party and definitely not to the ANC government. There can be no talk of an African Renaissance, South Africa as the custodians of democracy or of South Africa playing a leading role in Africa if we do not get our own house in order. Countries with less infrastructure than South Africa run elections and the administration of elections far more efficiently and effectively. What South Africans experienced today is unjust and an insult to the years of struggle for a liberated and democratic South Africa.
Admin
24 Nov, 1998
Postponement of registration
Statement by Deputy-National Secretary The announcement today that the registration for the elections will be postponed in four provinces, emphasises the inability of government to deal with issues pro actively and in time. This announcement should have been made at least a month ago when it was clear to any one who cared, that the IEC will not be in a position to conduct proper registration in November. This is symptomatic of the crisis management style of the ANC government. Political parties who are represented in parliament are all jumping onto the bandwagon and screaming foul play – this should not fool the voters. Political parties, including all opposition parties, sat in parliament and did not use their positions to bring about any changes regarding the budget of the IEC or the election process. The use of ID books only became an issue to the National Party when research indicated that the Western Cape is effected greatly by the issuing of these documents. For the first time the DP is making a noise after Opinion 99 indicated that it is their voters who are most likely not to register. This opportunism from the political parties must end now. They have a responsibility equal to that of the ANC government and the IEC, to the voters to ensure that the elections are run smoothly. They were after all supporting the budget vote of Trevor Manuel. The IEC can also no longer wash its hands in innocence. The IEC must stop misleading the voter public. It is the voter public’s money that the IEC is using and their right to free and fair elections that the IEC is tampering with. The IEC must communicate honestly to the voters the problems and obstacles they are experiencing. It is our right to know the truth and the IEC’s responsibility to communicate it. In the eyes of the voters the IEC is responsible for the incompetence that we are experiencing. The IEC itself, in the way it acts, blemishes its independence and ability. ;Of great concern is the announcement by the government that they, the ANC government, will evaluate the registration process and then they will decide whether a further registration process is needed. This should be one of the primary functions of the IEC and most definitely not of the ANC government. The mere arrogance of the entitlement of government of this function and the silence with which the IEC received this announcement is a direct threat to the independence of the IEC and free and fair elections. The 1999 election never was and definitely is not a power game of a few individuals. As South Africans we should not be surprised that our economic figures decline if this is what we portray in terms of our ability to conduct democratic elections. The failure of the ANC government to empower the IEC to conduct the registration process properly makes one to wonder about the arrogance of the ANC government in their self appointed role as the defender of democracy in neighbouring states. It elevates South Africa’s role in the Lesotho debacle to the level of the absurd! As a political party who do not receive state funding we have spend a lot of money and time in informing our supporters that they should register in order to be able to vote. The postponement of the registration process in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Western Cape and the Free State do not guarantee that the registration process in the other provinces will run smoothly. People still do not know where they should go and register. A special effort should now also be embarked on to communicate the changes in the four provinces affected. The UDM sincerely hopes that the marketing of this will not be as clandestine and secret as the current effort.
Admin
24 Nov, 1998
South Africa’s soaring trade balance deficit
Statement by Deputy-President South Africa’s worse than expected trade balance figures, which was announced yesterday, gives reason for grave concern. The cumulative deficit of R622,5 million for the first 10 months of 1998, compared to a cumulative; surplus of R3,8 million for the corresponding period; last year is frightening. There are furthermore indications that this condition will continue to worsen for the balance of the current fourth quarter, leaving a trade deficit for 1998 much larger than the market expected! These newly released trade balance figures will undoubtedly have a negative effect on the sentiments of investors in South Africa. While the world economy remains an important influencing factor on our economy, especially the position of our major export partners, South Africa’s soaring deficit on its trade balance, focuses afresh on the state of our economy. The important question is what does the ANC led government do to create a favourable climate for the South African economy to perform optimally? The United Democratic Movement believes that the ANC government should stop window dressing and should stop addressing only the symptoms of our economic problems and start to address the key problems in our economy. Under the ANC government, South Africa is experiencing a decline in incomes per capita (destroying wealth), stagnating exports, declines in factory production, surges in capital outflows, declines of fixed investments in new projects, plummeting car sales and job losses on a major scale. Under ANC rule, South Africa is getting poorer by the day, as fast as under apartheid. Facts on the table paints a picture of economic failure. It can be accepted that this situation will worsen if the ANC succeeds in obtaining a two-third majority in the 1999 election. The UDM believes that economic growth and job creation must be; boosted through an aggressive policy of enterprise development, giving entrepreneurs in underprivileged communities access to capital. SA’s economic fundamentals should now be addressed, given the latest worse than expected trade balance figures
Admin
23 Nov, 1998
Registration in shambles – elections under threat
Statement by Deputy-National Secretary With 72 hours left to put in place the organisational machinery for registration, the situation can only be described as chaotic. Not only are there serious questions about the impartiality of using state officials to run the registration, but it is also obvious that there are not enough officials willing to do the job. Training for these yet “non existing” officials must still take place. When will this happen and how does the IEC expect to fit it in the remaining timeframe? Free and fair elections are not determined on the day of elections only. The accessibility, level of understanding and the perception on the legitimacy of the process already determines whether the elections can be declared free and fair. Confusion reigns within the mind of the voter public. Voters have no idea where they should go and register. Giving publicity to the 14 000 plus registration points to such an extend that it is general public knowledge takes more than a mere day or two. Voter despondency with the upcoming elections becomes understandable in this atmosphere of uncertainty and ill organisation. We can not expect the voter to have trust in the democratic process if the basics are not right or put in place. This, are not the responsibility of political parties, but ultimately the responsibility of the IEC and government in providing the necessary funding for this exercise. Political parties must and should do everything in their power to ensure that its supporters register. This is true, but it becomes an exercise in futility if the infrastructure and logistics are not in place. The IEC’s handling of the registration process gives new meaning to the saying “hurry up and wait” and “all dressed up but nowhere to go!”.
Admin
05 Nov, 1998
Resignation as Member of Parliament for the National Party and joining the UDM
Statement by Reverend Macfarlan Pheneti, Member of Parliament, MP Today I resigned from the National Party to join the United Democratic Movement. I joined the UDM, the only party that brings South Africans irrespective of race, gender, or religious believes together in one political home. I was elected to the National Parliament in 1994 to represent the National Party. I was convinced at the time that the National Party was sincere in its efforts to bring South Africans together and that there was a change of heart in the NP. However, today I must admit that I, together with many other people of colour was misled. The National Party has lost its will, ability and commitment to reach out and attract new voters of substance. Under the new leadership of the National Party the NP is caught up in a situation where it is controlled by a white, Afrikaner, male kabaal who take decisions, highly centralized, and enforce them. (Read Marthinus van Schalkwyk and a small band of men). No black person in the party holds any real position of power or influence. Many opportunities where people of colour could either be appointed or elected in positions did arise, but the NP chooses to ignore them. Black people in leadership positions within the National Party are nothing more than convenient symbols of window dressing the party. The NP leadership does not take them seriously and a “master servant” situation prevails. Under the current leadership of the National Party, the NP will disappear from the political scene. I can no longer be dishonest with myself, my family and with the South African voter public. I call on my fellow colleagues in the black caucus of the National Party to seriously reconsider their positions, stop living a lie, and find themselves a political home where they can find fulfillment. It is for this reason that I today announce my resignation and subsequently the vacation of my position as Member of Parliament to provide my services to the UDM on a voluntary basis.
Admin
05 Nov, 1998
Politics bankrupt IEC: democracy on knife edge
Statement by Deputy-President The South African voter public may well become the victim and democracy the corps that will be buried as a result of the ANC and opposition parties unwillingness to provide sufficient funding to the IEC. The UDM has warned from the outset that the amount made available to the IEC to conduct the elections, is not enough. This affects the smooth running of the elections as well as the independence of the IEC. The UDM’s fears have now become reality. It was reported today at a National Party Liaison Committee that the IEC only have enough money to continue their work until the middle of November. The IEC was awarded a budget of R500 million, this after they requested a budget of R1.1 billion. Only a further R100 million was added to the budget though the IEC requested a further R600 million from the supplementary budget. None of the political parties in parliament supported the IEC in their request for more money. Because of the shortage in the budget, the IEC took the decision to register voters only for three days. The IEC does not have more money available to spend on registration. The decision not to grant people abroad and prisoners a voting opportunity was also taken because of the budget shortage. At any given point in time there are 250 000 South Africans in London alone. With a three-day registration process, this figure will escalate together with South Africans in South Africa, who will not be in their voting districts during the registration days, will be added, and will not be able to vote. Because of budget constraints, they will be deprived of their democratic right to vote as contained in the Bill of Rights. Though, the IEC did indicate that, if the registration percentage is unsatisfactory after the period lapsed, they will approach parliament for funds, so as to continue registering voters, this will only become obvious at the end of November, and it will remain subject to funds being made available. It is the UDM’s opinion that the IEC will not be able to stick to the current timeframe and that the date of the elections will be affected. The 1999 elections are heading for disaster. It is obvious when it comes to voting money to themselves, political parties will do so very easily as they have done with the “Funding of Political Parties Bill.”; The UDM can not but question the ANC’s political motives in providing such an inadequate budget to the IEC. Can it be that the ANC does not want to see the elections take place in 1999?; How do you explain spending R80 million per week “enforcing” democracy in a neighbouring state, but you are not willing to provide sufficient funds for your own democracy. The UDM challenges political parties in parliament to ensure that the election process is properly funded; demonstrate your seriousness with democracy – ensure free and fair elections.
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