This coming weekend, 26 and 27 January, is the last chance for all South Africans who have not yet registered to vote, to do so. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) encourages all South Africans of voting age (18 and older) to register for the upcoming national and provincial elections. We especially urge our young people to take the time to visit voting stations and register. We mostly encourage young people to make sure that they register to vote. This is where they get to voice their anger and frustration through ballot. We are concerned, after the recent data release by SA Citizen Survey, showing that more than 11.2 million citizens are unregistered and out of that 4.5 million are not intending to register. The future of this country is in the hands of our young people. If they decide to stay home instead of making their voice heard by voting, they are still giving back the power to the same leaders who are not doing right. Youth has power of electing whoever they believe will deliver and meet their needs. For those who have registered in the past, take the time to check that your address is on the voters’ role and that you are registered in the right voting district. Go to https://www.elections.org.za/regweekend/ for information. Make sure that you choose right, and do right by yourself, as well as for those for whom you care. Remember, your vote is your voice so choose right and vote UDM. Issued by: Mr Bongani Msomi UDM Secretary General
• UDM Leaders at all levels of Eastern Cape • UDM public representatives • My fellow South Africans WELCOME Ladies and gentlemen, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) says “thank you” for making the time and effort to attend this rally and listen to our message. To our election teams that have worked themselves to a standstill to make a success of this event – thank you for the hard work guys. CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF FREEDOM – A VIEW OF THE PAST We yesterday celebrated 20 years of our new democracy. It is quite extraordinary that we have come so far as a nation in a relatively short time. We will never forget the tyranny and human rights abuses of the past, because it serves as a reminder of what should never happen again. Our deepest gratitude to the struggle icons, many of whom hailed from the Eastern Cape, for their selfless efforts and sacrifices. CORRUPTION DESTROYS THE GAINS OF OUR FREEDOM At the moment our nation is going nowhere slowly – corruption has become a hallmark of how government operates. Maladministration and ineptitude are at the order of the day. Abuse of state resources have become a way for the ruling elite to line their pocket at your expense. This is true of the ruling party’s government at national, provincial and local levels. We can no longer pussyfoot around these issues… it is a fact that corruption, maladministration and incompetence destroy the gains of our freedom. STATE OF THE EASTERN CAPE This province is heavily under budgeted given the two homelands and townships’ infrastructure that had to be integrated into in the developed infrastructure we inherited in 1994. This has not happened. The infrastructure of the former homelands and townships in the Eastern Cape are in total disrepair. When one enters the townships of Port Elizabeth you might think you have entered a 3rd world country. This is a travesty. Voters should open their eyes and punish the ANC for putting the future of this province and its people on the back burner. THE STATE OF THIS MUNICIPALITY The UDM salutes the struggle leaders who hail from this city. Their contribution to the liberation of our people is well documented and history teaches us that they lead from the front and put the needs of our people before their own. As citizens of this metro, you must take over the good work of your grandmothers and fathers, and your parents. You must take the ruling party’s comrades in corruption of Port Elizabeth to task. These so called public servants spend more time fighting each other, than fighting for the people. The youth of PE must take responsibility for the future of this city; apply your abundant energy to turn the situation around – apply your minds to how we should ensure economic emancipation, good education and health care as well as promoting the check and balances to eradicating corruption. Harness your verve and vitality to erase the damage the ruling party’s cronies have done. Go back to the foundation the forerunners of old left and expose corruption, breathe life into the local economy and leave your own legacy to those who come after you. WHAT ARE THE UDM’s PLANS? Should I, as the UDM’s candidate for the premiership, be given the opportunity to govern, the following critical objectives shall be on the agenda for change: 1. Address the democracy dividend deficiency in the Eastern Cape, so that it becomes a model province in terms of all development goals. 2. Turn the province into key economic growth area in the country, so that it becomes the 4th fastest growing economy in South Africa by 2019. 3. Improve the quality of life of the poorest by bringing essential public services closer to the people and to increase the capacity of all institutions that provide those services, such as healthcare, educational opportunities, food production and security and local employment opportunities. 4. Turn around the performance of provincial government, but in particular the departments of health and education. 5. Provide effective local governance by employing qualified people, with the right skills-sets, in the right places. Proper planning, the appropriate use of resources and performance management and monitoring are key issues. 6. The celebration of corruption, which has somehow developed in a competition to see who outsmarts whom, must be brought to an end. We will therefore implement policies that ensure that the best talented, properly trained and competent persons are appointed; in other words, political deployment will become a thing of the past. CONCLUSION It is true that history tells us where we come from, but it is time for us to focus on the future; it is time for us to clearly identify where we are going. It is time for change. May the 7th, can be the catalyst for that change, but this cannot happen if you don’t take action. The people of this beautiful city, especially our young people, must be the agents of that change and the UDM the vehicle. Vote UDM! Thank you