Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Deputy Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape announced that our nominee for the Premier Candidate of this province, is UDM President Bantu Holomisa, MP, as was confirmed today at a press conference in Duncan Village in East London. We fully support President Holomisa as the best leader to guide this province and its people out of its current quagmire.

President Holomisa launched the Party’s Ten Point Plan for the Eastern Cape central to our campaign in the coming weeks ahead.

The UDM led a spirited Sikhokele Njengele March with 300 participants through the streets of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, starting in Oxford Street and ending in Duncan Village—a community often overlooked in South Africa. Here, children play in littered streets, and residents live in rundown shacks, dreaming of decent housing like many South Africans. Job opportunities are scarce in this area, and many feel unsafe in their own homes.

The UDM’s Ten Point Plan for the Eastern Cape serves as our contract with the people of the Province, in addition to our national manifesto. Both documents are available in detail on the Party’s website www.udm.org.za.

1. Provincial Government of Unity
A UDM government in the Eastern Cape will establish a Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) to foster inclusiveness and capitalise on the human resources cultivated within the province.

2. Economy
Diversification of the economy, investment in infrastructure and skills development and rural development in the Eastern Cape would be top priorities for the GPU led by the UDM.

3. Tourism
The Eastern Cape is endowed the most spectacular, unique tourist destinations in South Africa, a UDM led GPU will pay special attention to tourism as a means of unlocking the economy and creating jobs in the province.

4. Infrastructure development
A UDM led GPU will prioritise maintenance and rebuilding the Eastern Cape’s infrastructure and eradicating the backlogs of the current system and negligence of thirty years. The GPU will in particular look at the province’s roads as this affects its economic prospects, tourism and people’s ability to access services.

5. Violent crime
A UDM led GPU will prioritise violent crime which is currently out of hand and Eastern Capetonians are living in fear in their daily lives. Also, our people’s wealth is invested in their animals – the GPU will pay particular attention to stock theft.

6. Waste management and environmental protection
A UDM-led GPU will prioritise environmental cleanliness in our province, recognising its impact on public health, quality of life, and tourism potential. Specifically, the GPU will focus on cleaning up attraction centres, dams, rivers, and beaches to protect aquatic ecosystems and promote tourism.

7. Agriculture and food security
Emphasising both commercial and subsistence farming in the Eastern Cape is vital for the local economy and food security. A UDM led GPU will prioritise this sector, including cutting red tape in the cultivation of hemp as a commercial crop.

8. Traditional leaders
A UDM led GPU shall acknowledge that traditional leaders play a critical role in ensuring that our people’s rights to dignity is restored and protected.

9. Education
A UDM led GPU will work to regain the Eastern Cape’s reputation as a leading producer of national talent and a hub of education excellence. The GPU will work closely with the National Department of Basic Education to eliminate pit latrines and mud schools in the Eastern Cape. This effort is crucial to restore dignity and provide safe, conducive learning environments for our children.

10. Health care
The Eastern Cape faces critical shortages of healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, alongside inadequate healthcare facilities and medication shortages. A UDM led GPU will prioritise directing more resources and efforts towards ensuring quality healthcare for all Eastern Capetonians.

In the weeks ahead, President Holomisa will be here in the Eastern Cape, campaigning alongside us. We aim to connect with people from every corner of the province, speaking to Eastern Capetonians from all walks of life.

It’s time for a change in the Eastern Cape, and Bantu Holomisa is the right person for the job! Vote for Bantu Holomisa, Vote UDM on May 29, 2024.