Admin
20 Oct, 2020
President Ramaphosa does not take the youth seriously!
The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard (UDM Youth Vanguard) thinks President Cyril Ramaphosa lives in a fool’s paradise if he believes that his government will implement his big plans. Since Mr Ramaphosa became president, every speech has been full of optimism and plans for a new dawn, however South Africans have not seen any implementation. The UDM Youth Vanguard has a lingering question as to what exactly makes the President thinks his big plans are easily implementable and we would like to know if there is an effective strategy in place to successfully execute his plans. Our concern stems from the looting culture we recently witnessed with the Coronavirus pandemic, where government officials were accused of the abuse of state funds, as well as the severe maladministration of the President’s initiatives. A simple example is the dismal failure to implement the R350 special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD grant) as, to date, young unemployed South Africans have not received their full grants as promised. It is a struggle for the department of social development to disburse these grants every month to deserving beneficiaries. We strongly reject the assertion, and proffered statistics, that these SRD grants have helped young unemployed South Africans to live above the poverty line. We have experienced a ridiculous increase in food prices, therefore the R350 certainly is not enough to make a tangible difference. The statistics are misleading, and it surely does not represent the realities and hardships that young people daily face. It is repulsive to see the President addressing the nation with misleading information and this culture must be condemned The UDM Youth Vanguard would like the President to present an effective implementation strategy of all the plans he mentioned in his speech, more especially on his plans regarding job creation. We should be cognisant of the fact that thousands of South Africans have lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore creating 800,000 jobs will not only be challenging, but insufficient. This kind of plan requires strong leadership and integrity which the current leadership has failed to provide to date. The President also needs to be specific regarding the duration of the employment, because it is unfair to create job opportunities that only last for a few months and thereafter the recipients must return to the unemployment benches. We refuse to call that job-creation and it cannot be documented on the statistics as it is demeaning and undignified. We call on President Ramaphosa to issue a directive to all departments with clear plans and implementation strategies, with timeframes, that clearly sets out how his plans must be implemented. Accordingly, those plans must be published so that young people can hold those departments and the relevant ministers accountable. Furthermore, young people are hungry for change and we are tired of empty promises. We want urgent change, and the government should respond with speed. President Ramaphosa must take the necessary measures to hold all government officials who are suspected of corruption to account. Suspend, fire and open criminal cases. The youth is ready to serve this nation and thereby better the lives of all our people. We cannot afford to continue on this slippery slope of corruption and degradation. Young South Africans do not need motivation, they have it is an innate ability. They do not want pity, they want change. Cut the red tape and make it possible for young people to thrive, work and build their own businesses and enhance their standard of living. Issued by: Mr Yongama Zigebe UDM Youth Vanguard
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24 Jul, 2020
UDEMWO welcomes the President’s intervention on schools
After numerous calls and press statements from various organisations, including the United Democratic Movement (UDEMWO), as well as frustrations from parents, sundry teachers’ unions and those who care for the younger generation and the nation at large, the President of South Africa finally took the brave and courageous decision to close schools for some time. UDEMWO welcomes President Ramaphosa’s intervention to close schools for four weeks, Looking from a climatological view, as the country, we will be seeing the back-side of the winter season so the young pupils being Grade R will go back to classroom when it is a little warmer. The Department of Basic Education should use this time to clean up schools, procure the required personal protective equipment (PPE) and monitor the infections, death and recoveries, no blanket opening of schools, our children are not weapons to fight coronavirus, they must be protected at all cost. UDEMWO also accepts the extension of the current academic year into 2021, should the community transmission of Covid-19 continue to increase, the nation must be prepared to sacrifice this school year. Our schools, students and teachers need all the support and compassion during this time. Issued by: Ms Thandi Nontenja UDEMWO Secretary General
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13 Jul, 2020
Is our healthcare system actually ready for President Ramaphosa’s coronavirus storm?
We listened attentively to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcements regarding stricter regulations governing our lives in the face of the exponential increase of Coronavirus infections in South Africa. The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard (UDMYV) has noted that the President couched this decision as being necessary to relieve the pressure on our healthcare system. An immediate ban on alcohol was also imposed, because of misbehaving citizens who land in hospital due to alcohol related injuries and this takes up much-needed bed space. What we do not understand is that Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was super confident that our healthcare system was ready to deal with an enemy that has felled first world countries’ healthcare systems. Now the President, in so many words, admitted that our healthcare system is in fact under severe pressure and is not ready, as there is, for instance, still a serious shortage of more than 12,000 health workers. We hear of hospitals that have no water, staff who receive substandard personal protective equipment, bulk Covid-19 infections of hospital staff and how fear and anxiety are causing panic among them. To make matters worse, we understand that analysis of the coronavirus’ genome sequence found a mutation, which makes the virus more infectious than the original strain; we better hope and pray this mutation does not happen in South Africa. The mysterious National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and Cabinet are making and breaking as they please and never unpack their decisions satisfactorily. We therefore call on Parliament, as the oversight arm of the state that holds the executive to account, to investigate our healthcare system’s state of readiness. Who was speaking the truth when? Something is severely wrong here. Lastly, the UDMYV feels strongly that the NCCC must go back to the drawing board and eliminate some inequalities in their regulations. If children are forced to go back to school and risk coronavirus infection, Parliament must, with immediate effect, suspend its hybrid model of sitting, and all Members of Parliament must go back to their benches to work. We do not understand why it is different strokes for different folks. Where we do agree with the President is that we must unite in making sure that we win the fight against the coronavirus, it is indeed in our hands (quite literally) and no one will help us, except us. Let us spread the message to wear masks and wash hands and hold each other accountable, we need to be responsible not just for ourselves, but also for others; especially the frontline healthcare workers who daily put their lives on the line to take care of ours. Issued by: Mr Yongama Zigebe UDM Youth Vanguard
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22 Apr, 2020
UDM’s reaction to Ramaphosa’s economic stimulus package
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the announcements President Cyril Ramaphosa made on government’s plans to temper the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on South African’s lives and stimulate the economy. With this R500 billion stimulus package the government is falling in step with governments around the world, which have embarked on massive fiscal stimulus packages and expansionary monetary policies to counter the negative impact of the Coronavirus on their economies. This is directly in line with the UDM’s long-standing policy that: “Government Must Do More” and get back to the original agenda of addressing the backlogs and imbalances of the past and high levels of inequality in South Africa. We are pleased that SMMEs and the informal sector have been targeted for assistance and growth, and that mention was made of salary and job protection, as well as extended social grants. As is the case in America with the Federal Reserve Bank, we are of the view that the South African Reserve Bank has a critical role to play in providing a pay-cheque protection liquidity facility, and other facilities, to commercial banks so that they can provide loans to small businesses to maintain their payroll during this difficult time. Banks would then provide monthly updates to the Reserve Bank about the number and value of the facilities extended for this purpose. We are of the view that the South African Reserve Bank should introduce similar facilities to commercial banks in order for them to use these facilities for targeted sectors of the economy, as part of the Reserve Bank’s broader “Coronavirus Pandemic Response Programme”. We also believe that there is scope for the central bank to further reduce the interest rate as a way to stimulate the economy. Furthermore, the jobless benefit should also cover freelancers and those who work in the informal sector. In particular, the UDM feels that Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) pay-outs should be handled on a sectoral level and that employers should apply for these pay-outs on behalf of individual employees rather than individual applications clogging up the system. There should also be a three-month moratorium on bond, car and other loan payments, as these are still left to the discretion of commercial banks which are sometimes reluctant to give loan recipients a breather because they use payment profiles and credit records to make their decisions. In the same vein to the UIF scenario, it would make more sense to do this to avoid clogs in the system and people standing in endless queues outside banks in contravention of the stay-at-home regulations and putting themselves in danger of contracting the Coronavirus. A stay on bank account closures and bank fees, due to bad bank account conduct and returned debit orders, is needed. We also think that life insurers should be brought on board to create breathing space for policy holders, by allowing a three-month payment holiday. Once all these relief measures are put in place, and in view of the fact that taxpayers who donate to the Solidarity Fund will be able to claim up to an additional ten percent as a deduction from their taxable income, South Africans will be in a position to contribute to the Solidarity Fund. A call should also be made to all sectors of society, celebrities and private businesses and other arms of the state which have not made a public declaration on contributions, to lead by example, and contribute to the Solidarity Fund. Government must also immediately settle the R7 billion debt owed to its small and medium enterprise service providers, which, beside it being the right thing to do, will serve as a lifeline and important stimulus package for SMMEs. Localisation of our economy is paramount. In light of the Coronavirus crisis we should ensure that during this time all protective equipment is produced and sourced locally. This could be a magnificent project to create jobs in the informal sector and in rural areas, for women in particular. This strategy should be continued post-Coronavirus and our manufacturing industry should be brought up to scratch so that South Africa is less dependent on imported goods and we should not be a dumping ground for other countries. In principle, we support the economic stimulus package as it is good on paper and it is in line with our social democratic values of equality and solidarity as the plan seeks to ensure that our country’s resources are arranged to the greatest benefit of the most vulnerable and the poorest of the poor. The UDM, however, strongly believes that if government had recouped the R500 billion stolen during state capture, South Africa would not have had to stand in the queue for loans from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, BRICS New Development Bank and the African Development Bank. In addition, we are sceptical of government’s political will and ability to manage South Africa’s finances under the current circumstances. The reason being that, given for instance state capture, it does not have a proven track-record and also, given the extraordinary circumstances created by the Coronavirus pandemic, there are not sufficient checks and balances in place to monitor government’s income and spending. Just now we will need a Coronavirus Commission of Inquiry, post the crisis, which we cannot afford. Time will tell. Issued by: Mr Bantu Holomisa UDM President
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10 Feb, 2020
Dissent voices on SOEs by top leadership is disheartening!
The United Democratic Movement takes note on contradicting statements issued over the weekend by the President of the ruling party and his National Person on the ailing state-owned entity the South African airways. The President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa insisted that SAA will not be sold or shut down and within hours the chairperson, Mr Gwede Mantashe told the nation that this entity should be shut down if it does not make profit. The ANC recently had a lekgotla, and they had promised the nation that the issue at SAA was going to be discussed, but from these statements one may conclude that there was no discussion, if there was, no agreement was reached as to how this important would be made viable. If it is like this at SAA, what about the other SOE’s? Seemingly the ruling party does not have a strategy to make these SOE’s to operate as companies that sustain themselves. The ANC is in the about what needs to be done to save these SOEs. This might be the reason why the rescuing practitioners of SAA are now dictating terms on how the entity should operate hence certain domestic and international routes had to be abruptly stopped without the approval government. This has turned South Africa a banana republic. The State Owned Enterprises need a decisive leadership and intervention not what it is being heard, that is, dissenting voices of the senior leaders of the ruling party and the government. The majority if not all SOEs are currently in the Intensive-care unit (ICU), they are not making any profit. These SOEs are supposed to be contributing to the GDP of the country yet they are a liability. This is a biggest shame. How long will the hard-earned money of taxpayer’s money keep saving these SOEs? The problem with ruling party is for it to admit that cadre deployment is killing these SOEs and it is afraid to take drastic actions as it does not want to lose support from their comrades who are somehow being compensated for failing to make it to parliament or provincial legislatures. This must stop if South Africa is be made a winning nation. Issued by: Bongani Msomi UDM Secretary General
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10 Sep, 2019
Open Letter to President Ramaphosa: gender-based violence
Dear Mr President Recently, the country has been ravaged by news of gender based violence, women being abducted, raped and murdered. This is an everyday life for women in this country hence now we have the #AmInext movement, because honestly we are constantly stressing about who is going to be a victim of these atrocities ravaging our communities. The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation call on you Mr President, to speedily act on this, as women are under attack, the time for speeches and dialogues around these issues is over. We would like to see a government that implements change and not just talk about it. One of the things we would like to see is co-operation between the Departments or Ministries that fall under the cluster of peace and security. There seems to be no synergy and this is a contributing factor to the rise in violence in this country. If the SAPS manage to arrest the criminal; Justice will release him either on bail or on lack of evidence; if Justice sentence the criminal, Correctional Services will release him on parole. The UDEMWO call upon the government either amend the laws of this country as the law is currently favouring the criminals at the expense of the victims, or bring back the death penalty. Had it not been for Luyanda Botha, the late Uyinene Mrhwetyana’s murderer being released on parole from his previous convictions, the young girl would be still alive, pursuing her dreams. The question still remains, how did Luyanda end up working for a state owned enterprise with criminal records? Mr President, The Government continues to fail us! The Department of Women’s voice is not being heard, Minister Maite-Nkoana Mashabane is not vocal and not seen taking part in bringing about solution in the threatening situation, which is claiming lives of women especially in the past week. UDEMWO believes that when one tramples the other person’s rights, he must forfeit his rights. Enough with the lip service, Action must be taken NOW! Issued by Thandi Nontenja UDEMWO Secretary
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03 Mar, 2019
UDM welcomes President Ramaphosa’s green initiative
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) noted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that government will start a massive clean-up campaign to get rid of the litter and waste that lay by our road-sides and fouls our communities. We welcome this move, as it is in line with the UDM’s environmental policy and this year’s election manifesto. Every city, town, suburb, township, informal settlement and rural areas are filthy and is in desperate need of intervention. Many places have over the years turned into slums, because of the non-existing waste management. We are happy that he joins the coalition government in the City of Johannesburg, under the leadership of Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, in the clean-up programme that it has started on a city-wide scale. It is good that Citizen Number One has committed himself to lead this campaign. Government must play its role to ensure that there are adequate dumping sites, skips, and trash cans, which are easily accessible. Industries and big business should be severely punished for not adhering to laws and regulations, but this means that government at all levels must enforce these laws and regulations. A green and healthy culture should be inculcated in our communities. Our people need to understand the health risks that come with dirty and waste ridden streets. The culture of not littering starts at home and the drivers of cars, taxis and buses, etc. should hold themselves responsible to ensure that their passengers don’t throw garbage out of their windows. Property owners in our CBDs should take responsibility for cleaning their immediate surroundings. The current state of repair of buildings leaves much to be desired, this also includes government properties and buildings. Issued by: Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP
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26 Feb, 2019
Bantu Holomisa writes to the President re backdated salary payments of KwaZulu-Natal indunas
Mr CM Ramaphosa President of the Republic of South Africa PO Box 15 Cape Town 8000 Dear Mr President Yesterday, upon my visit to Isizwe Sakwampukunyoni at Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal, under Nkosi Mzokhulayo Mkhwanazi, I met with over thirty indunas at the Mgeba Traditional Council offices. They alleged that all indunas of this province have not received their back-pay from 2013 up to 2017. It is alleged that former President Jacob Zuma had approved such payments on 18 April 2013. According to them, the indunas of the entire Kwa-Zulu Natal feel that they are being treated differently from traditional leaders in other provinces. We appeal to your good offices, and those of the other relevant authorities, to investigate the veracity of these claims and, should there be merit to these allegations, we request that you act upon such finding/s. For any additional information required, please call Prince Ntuthuko Mkhwanazi at and Prince Musawenkosi Qhina Mkhwanazi. Yours sincerely Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP President of the United Democratic Movement
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22 Nov, 2018
President Ramaphosa’s “cabinet changes” is a damp squib
The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard is of the view that President Ramaphosa’s new dawn is a copy and paste of the old order and thus have abandoned the youth of South Africa with his so-called cabinet change. He has showed the country a lack of conviction by retaining figures such as Nomvula Mokonyane who has shown her incapability as communications minister with the disastrous handling of the public broadcaster. Mokonyane’s shift to environmental affairs, after failing in her previous department, was a move without consideration on the part of the president. We, as the youth of South Africa, should not be surprised if we run out of oxygen under her bungling leadership. Former president Jacob Zuma once said that the ANC is more important than the country and we fear that President Ramaphosa is doing the same. We call on the president to imbibe decisive leadership and lead with the interest of the country first and not that of his party. We as the UDM Youth Vanguard still call on the president to fire minister Bathabile Dlamini from cabinet unless there is some or other cause to keep her in office. The UDM Youth Vanguard does however welcome the merging of the department of communications and postal services under Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. We have seen her in action in her previous portfolio working very hard in bringing ICT to the youth. We wish her all the best and we hope that she will bring stability and offer leadership in this newly merged department with the understanding that it is a very challenging time as the SOEs in this department are faced with many challenges. This move by the president shows that the young people of South Africa cannot trust that the ANC will take us seriously come 2019 and we therefore encourage them to find an alternative and vote for the UDM. Issued by Mr Yongama Zigebe Gauteng Provincial Secretary, UDM Youth Vanguard
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10 Oct, 2018
VBS: ‘The Great Bank Heist’ – it’s time for action not words
President Ramaphosa must immediately appoint a task team to make sure that the people who were fingered by advocate Terry Motau in his report are held responsible for their misdeeds. Each and every person must be brought under the search light, especially those in the employ of the Public Investment Corporation. The PIC seems to be sinking deeper and deeper in the quagmire of corruption. The United Democratic Movement wants to see these people charged and the Asset Forfeiture Unit must not dilly dally and get to work. Advocate Motau’s report will remain a piece of paper until the President takes direct and urgent action. The paper trail of the millions of rands that were given to certain individuals must be followed with a view to recoup the money. Each account much be investigated, and this includes money that was allegedly spent on an “ANC gala dinner event”. The chickens are coming to roost on the Comrades in Corruption! For further comment: Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President
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10 Sep, 2018
UDMYV: President Ramaphosa must take the nation into confidence: how will the technical recession be dealt with?
The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard (UDM Youth Vanguard) is concerned that, since the announcement broke through the media that South Africa is in a technical recession, the country has not heard from President Cyril Ramaphosa. The UDM Youth Vanguard would like to know from the President, what does this technical recession mean for the youth and the poorest of the poor. The fuel price keeps on increasing, food prices are ever on the rise and unemployment is spiralling out of control, leaving the poor and the youth marginalised by means of affordability and they are left to starve. The young people of South Africa call on the President to take the nation into confidence and tell us what will be done to tackle the situation. We need decisive leadership and political will from the President to act and protect South Africans, but in particular the youth and the poor. Mr Yongama Zigebe Gauteng Provincial Secretary UDM Youth Vanguard Udmyvgp.secretary@udm.org.za Mr Andile Jabavu Gauteng Provincial Chairperson UDM Youth Vanguard udmyvgp.chairperson@udm.org.za
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05 Mar, 2018
UDM NEC’s plans and checks readiness for 2019
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) National Executive Committee (NEC), met at the weekend, to discuss several issues of national importance and gauged the Party’s readiness for the 2019 National and Provincial Elections in terms of its planning. Amongst its plans had been to host election workshops and meetings, in 2018/9, in the lead-up to the elections. The UDM in the Western Cape has already indicated that they are geared to host a mass meeting on 17 March, whilst the Party in Gauteng shall be ready to engage with the public on 21 March. The UDM in the Eastern Cape will follow in their tracks on the 27th of April. We will of course be mobilising communities to register new voters and to encourage existing ones to check their address information on the voters roll at Independent Electoral Commission’s registration weekend on the 10th and 11th of March. We will keep the nation abreast of any changes and additional events on our calendar as time progresses. A National Elections Workshop of the UDM will have its own strategy session, in the third week of May, where the draft manifesto will be presented and to keep its finger on the pulse of the Party’s nationwide campaigns. In addition, the UDM’s national leaders have been invited to, on the 12th of March, visit the Entlangwini Palace to meet with the King, AmaKhosi and the community. The NEC also discussed the status quo of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipal Council and noted that the Economic Freedom Fighters called for the removal of Mayor Trollip. The “new dawn”, promised at this year’s State of the Nation Address, was discussed and the UDM NEC expressed the opinion that it sounds a hollow prospect, as events unfold, with some of the prime suspects in state capture surviving the recent cabinet reshuffle. With this move, President Ramaphosa has already started off on the wrong foot and the UDM NEC believes that South Africa is in for more-of-the-same. The involvement of former President Zuma in the African National Congress’ (ANC) electioneering activities, casts doubt that it is at all serious about its plans to eradicate corruption. Mr Zuma’s token removal only happened, because the opposition and civil society put so much pressure on the ANC that they no longer had room to manoeuvre. Their keeping Mr Zuma at the forefront of their election work is like asking a bank-robber to guard the money. Statement issued by: Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP UDM President
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27 Feb, 2018
President Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle is a major disappointment
The United Democratic Youth Vanguard (UDMYV) would like to express concern over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle. At most this cabinet represents the old order of former President Jacob Zuma and is divorced from the supposed “New Dawn” that the African National Congress (ANC) claims to espouse. How else would the President explain the retention of people such as Ms Bathabile Dlamini, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane (as the face of government), Mr Malusi Gigaba, Mr Sfiso Buthelezi and Mr Kebby Maphatsoe? It is quite clear that President Ramaphosa puts the ANC’s needs before those of the country. Signs are clear that the ANC will never change and therefore the United Democratic Movement must stand up to lead the people of South Africa. The absence of young persons in this cabinet is very disappointing especially in the ministry of sports and recreation where an opportunity was missed to bring in a young person. The reappointment of Mr Nhlanhla Nene, as finance minister, is however welcomed and the UDMYV wishes him well in filling that position. The UDMYV would like to challenge President Ramaphosa to put his foot down and lead the country with conviction. He promised to trim his cabinet and he has failed to do so owing to his party’s internal politics. We call on the people of South Africa to note this anti-climactic moment and hold President Ramaphosa and the ANC to account in the 2019 national and provincial elections. Issued by: Katleho Mothama Political Liaison Officer, UDMYV Gauteng plogp@udmyv.co.za Yongama Zigebe Provincial Secretary, UDMYV Gauteng secretarygp@udmyv.co.za yludwe@yahoo.com
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27 Feb, 2018
UDEMWO: The Ramaphosa cabinet is an insult to SA women
The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is disappointed by President Ramaphosa’s choice of ministers. While we notice with disgust the recycling of the Zuma cabinet nothing would have prepared us for Ms Bathabile Dlamini as the Minister of Women in the Presidency. The fact that the African National Congress (ANC) Women’s League decided to elect her as its president does not necessarily mean that she is capable to do the important work this ministry needs to do. South African women deserve better that this hogwash and the President must realise that elevating Bathabile Dlamini into his office is incomprehensible and a grievous insult to the women of this country. This cabinet reshuffle brings us to the realisation that there is no difference between the Zuma and the Ramaphosa administrations. As former President Zuma once said that the ANC is bigger than the nation. President Ramaphosa is giving a nation recycled persons (some with dubious records) in his effort to keep the so-called unity within the ANC. As far as UDEMWO is concerned, there is no Ministry for Women in South Africa despite the many challenges that women are currently facing in this country. Issued by: Ms Thandi Nontenja UDEMWO Secretary General
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19 Feb, 2018
State of the Nation Address 2018 debate
Contribution by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP and President of the United Democratic Movement on the occasion of the State of the Nation Address 2018 debate in the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa • Honourable Speaker & chairperson of the NCOP • Mister President • Honourable Members 1. Congratulations Mr Ramaphosa! When an opponent has done well, one must applaud and say: “Well done”. Well done on your speech Mr President! Your message has restored hope and put South Africa on the right track for the restoration of our dignity. This opportunity was given to you on a silver platter by the steadfast efforts of the loyal opposition, the media and civil society, while your party’s leadership turned a blind eye to brazen looting of state resources and fiddled while South Africa was burning. Who will forget the hundreds of thousands of South Africans who marched in a united display of dissatisfaction over an ill-suited and irresponsible President of the Republic. 2. Corruption is the lynchpin in giving effect to your SONA vision 3. Madam Speaker, Institutionalised corruption has been exacerbated by political heads usurping the powers of accounting officers in all three tiers of government. And Mr President, there must be consequences for those who have been found guilty of corruption. 4. The work of the State Capture Inquiry The State Capture Inquiry must be beefed up with the inclusion of forensic audit experts and even the Hawks. The Justice Department must be directed to make special provision for prosecuting capacity and the establishment of dedicated courts to expedite justice, as was done in 2010 with the Soccer World Cup. Once the Inquiry identifies an incident of corruption, the Hawks must pounce, the judicial system must take the baton, whilst the Inquiry continues. 5. On a side note Mr President, you mentioned infrastructure development in your speech; and specifically referred to roads, millions of South Africans are forced to travel long distances to work in the cities and mines. These long-distance travels are marred by accidents, death and injury, with some using insensible transport. It might be time for us to consider state of the art, safe, speed trains to decongest roads, decrease accidents and to save time and lives. Also, Mr President, we need to attend to the phenomenon of anarchy in our society, the general lack of discipline and disrespect for the law. 6. Thuma Mina Your call to action resonates with all South Africans Mr President! We all want to see it prosper so that we might thrive as a collective and as individuals. Your call builds on the action initiated by opposition parties and civil society of the course of the past year or so. We all said “we wanna be there” to stay the rot of corruption; and we were there on the streets in our thousands. We commend your consultative style and welcome the initiatives you mentioned in your SONA, but you did not go far enough. There must be a broadening of the collective consultative process and a wide range of topics that should be interrogated and discussed. Call it what you will, an indaba, convention or a summit, but we need to convene under one roof to discuss the critical challenges facing South Africa today. Contrary to the opinion of some political gurus, who said the opposition was exclusively obsessed with getting rid of former president Zuma, we have laid the groundwork for this national dialogue. With the input from some academics, we compiled a draft “Problem Statement”, which was released in August last year, to serve as a fundamental basis for such a dialogue. The identified issues are: • The reinstatement of our Constitutional order and the Rule of Law; • Reaffirmation of our founding vision and values; • Measures to ensure inclusive economic participation and to address inequality; • Reversing our economic decline. • The establishment of a shared consensus on land reform. This should include the rural tenure system, bodies like the Ingonyama Trust, as well as selling of urban land to foreigners. • Review the National Development Plan, with regard to its implementation and outcomes; • Reviving our national morality and the eradication of systemic corruption; • The reformation of our electoral system to enhance accountability and responsiveness; • Review of the powers and functions of the President to resolve the over- concentration of power; • The development of a capable and professional state, which requires fair employment opportunities in government, for all South Africans as opposed to non-professionals being parachuted into positions of power. • The rehabilitation of our international standing based on a human rights approach. • The reinvigoration of our structures and systems of education and training to ensure skills development and meaningful participation in economic and social activities; • Reversing social decay and putting a stop to violence against women and children; • The fostering of reconciliation, social cohesion and nationhood; • Resolving impediments to the progressive realisation of our basic human rights; • Strengthening and ensuring the independence of our Chapter 9 Institutions; • The reformation of party-political funding; • Securing the attainment of all role players towards the attainment of a state of good governance and the values that underpin it; We are here Mr President and we wanna be there to help find sustainable solutions. I thank you
