Admin
22 Jun, 2017
Victory for SA! Constitutional Court ruling on secret ballot
Statement issued by Mr Bantu Holomisa – UDM President The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has been vindicated with the Constitutional Court’s ruling that the Speaker of the National Assembly could facilitate a secret ballot in a no-confidence motion in President Zuma. We thank our legal team, as well as political parties and civil society organisations who supported us all the way. The risk of Members of Parliament (MPs) being victimised if they don’t vote according the Party-line is very real. In fact, the President has unequivocally stated that ruling party MPs who vote for his removal will do so at their own peril. The Constitutional Court has today recognised the seriousness of this threat and have made it possible for MPs to vote according to their conscience. The ball is now in the Speaker’s court and Ms Baleka Mbete is obliged to uphold her oath of office and prove that she’s not a ruling party toady. We therefore call on the Speaker, irrespective of her political affiliation, to do the right thing and grant a secret ballot for a vote of no-confidence in President Zuma. The proof is however in the pudding and the mettle of MPs will be tested in a vote of no-confidence. The UDM hopes that those ruling party MPs, who recognise that their party and president have lost the plot, will help us to take the first step to free the Country from “state capture”. End
Admin
17 Mar, 2017
SASSA Constitutional Court judgement is an indictment of the Zuma Administration
Statement by Bantu Holomisa, MP and UDM President The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes the Constitutional Court’s instruction that the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) are under obligation to continue to pay social grants on 1 April until another entity is able to do so. The ANC government has more-or-less blackmailed the Constitutional Court, for if it should have happened that social grants were not paid on time, Government could conveniently shift the blame for the non-payment to the Constitutional Court. It is however worrying that our Country is effectively being run via the court room, because the Zuma Administration time and again fails to perform its duties. It is clear that President Zuma, and his cohorts, are holding onto their positions of power for one reason only: to further loot the Country’s resources at the expense of the taxpayer. Forget, for a moment, all the other examples of this phenomenon and be conscious of the fact that the Sassa/CPS-debacle is especially reprehensible, because it happened at the expense of the most vulnerable in our society. If not for the Constitutional Court’s intervention, where would we be? This situation is an embarrassment for South Africa and the Zuma Administration (and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini in particular in this instance) has again brought the country into disrepute. Their behaviour shows a lack of respect for the court. There is no accountability and worse, no consequences for those in power when they so spectacularly fail. The message to those who voted for the African National Congress (ANC) is clear. President Zuma, his Executive and the ANC have no respect for South Africans – nor do they have sympathy or show remorse. The ANC has clearly lost the plot and this arrogance can only be addressed in one way, cast your vote elsewhere. You have the capacity to punish the ANC for these misdeeds; come 2019 make proper use of your cross.
