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18 Oct, 2025
UDM KZN demands accountability as the province’s governance falters
Statement by Remington Mazibuko, Councillor in the Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality and UDM KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Chairperson The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in KwaZulu-Natal notes with deep concern the Auditor-General’s findings that the provincial departments of Education, Health and Transport must be placed under enhanced monitoring due to material irregularities and systemic governance failures. These are not minor administrative lapses but warning lights that speak to a pattern of weak internal control, poor financial discipline and a culture of impunity that continues to rob KwaZulu-Natal’s citizens of quality public services. The UDM believes that this moment demands honesty and leadership, not political point-scoring. The Government of Provincial Unity must act decisively to restore integrity to provincial administration. The provincial executive must publish clear turnaround plans with measurable timelines, ensure that disciplinary processes are concluded without delay, and recover every cent of public money lost through negligence or corruption. The people of KwaZulu-Natal deserve schools that work, hospitals that heal and roads that are safe, not yet another round of empty promises. As a partner in the Government of National Unity, the UDM in KwaZulu-Natal will continue to advocate for transparency, consequence management and a professionalised public service. We will support the Auditor-General’s call for stricter oversight and insist that the Premier and all Members of the Executive Council account fully to the legislature and to the public. The UDM in KwaZulu-Natal warns against those who exploit legitimate frustration to promote separatism or populist division. South Africa’s unity and the stability of KwaZulu-Natal depend on responsible governance within a constitutional framework, not on reckless rhetoric that seeks to dismantle it. We urge all parties to prioritise service delivery, ethical leadership and the rebuilding of public confidence. The UDM in KwaZulu-Natal reiterates that the restoration of clean governance in KwaZulu-Natal depends on accountability, not slogans. Civil society, organised labour and business have already raised their concerns about the province’s direction, and those concerns must be met with facts, transparency and lawful action. KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford leadership paralysis or administrative drift. The public expects consequence and competence, not excuses.
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18 Oct, 2025
Minister Cachalia and MEC Marais: the Cape Flats needs leadership, not lip service
Statement by Bongani Maqungwana, UDM Councillor in the City of Cape Town The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the City of Cape Town condemns the violent attack on police officers and the torching of a Nyala in Khayelitsha. Such acts of lawlessness have no place in a democratic society and must be met with justice. However, government cannot pretend that these incidents happen in a vacuum. They are a symptom of a policing crisis that has festered for years. The truth is that many South Africans have lost faith in the South African Police Service (SAPS). Communities on the Cape Flats, in particular, have watched gang violence claim lives week after week while police stand by, under resourced, disorganised, or indifferent. When a police service fails to protect, frustration turns to anger, and anger eventually turns to revolt. Even the Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia has publicly acknowledged that there is still no comprehensive operational or intelligence plan in place to combat gang violence in the Western Cape. That admission is as alarming as it is revealing. It confirms what residents already know: there is no coherent national strategy to deal with one of South Africa’s most persistent and deadly security crises. The UDM notes the reaction of Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, who condemned the torching of the police vehicle. While her outrage is understandable, mere condemnation does little to comfort families who live in daily fear or to fix a broken policing system. Leadership requires more than press statements. It demands a coordinated, results-driven approach that matches provincial safety initiatives with national operational capacity. Until that happens, the cycle of violence and blame will continue. There is a serious disconnect between national and provincial levels of government. While the Western Cape government develops safety plans and deploys local resources, national SAPS leadership moves at a different pace. This lack of alignment has left frontline officers confused, communities unprotected, and criminals emboldened. South Africa cannot afford turf wars and political posturing when lives are at stake. The UDM in the City of Cape Town calls for: 1. A clear and funded operational plan to stabilise gang affected communities, with measurable outcomes and timelines. 2. The reestablishment of specialised anti-gang units with proper intelligence capacity and oversight. 3. A public audit of all policing resources in the Western Cape to expose where the gaps lie. 4. The rebuilding of trust through genuine community policing, not staged engagements or political photo opportunities. 5. A permanent coordination mechanism between national and provincial security structures to ensure that plans, funding, and accountability are aligned. South Africans deserve a police service that is trusted, competent, and visible. Until SAPS regains credibility, both criminals and desperate citizens will continue to act outside the law. Our message is simple: safety cannot exist without trust, and trust cannot exist without results.
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17 Oct, 2025
Restoring trust in law enforcement: new national crime prevention framework is needed
Statement by Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP, UDM Deputy President and Leader in Parliament Only 22 percent of South Africans still trust the police. That figure, revealed by the Human Sciences Research Council, is not a statistic; it is a national alarm bell. A country without faith in its police cannot guarantee justice or safety. In recent weeks, incidents of citizens burning police vehicles and attacking officers have become a tragic symptom of how deeply fractured the relationship between law enforcement and communities has become. These acts cannot be condoned, yet they reveal the frustration and despair of people who feel abandoned and unprotected. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has long warned that the erosion of trust in the police is not accidental. It stems from years of poor leadership, internal misconduct, and weak accountability. As a political party that has consistently championed ethical governance and professional policing, the UDM has repeatedly called on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to clean up its act, restore command integrity, strengthen internal discipline, and rebuild the professional standards expected of a constitutional democracy. When police officers act without consequence, ordinary South Africans lose hope, and criminal networks thrive. The ongoing Madlanga Commission continues to shed light on the seriousness of the challenges facing the police service. Allegations raised during these hearings have underscored the need for the SAPS to confront corruption and mismanagement head on, to ensure that law enforcement serves the public interest and not private agendas. The UDM believes the Commission provides an important opportunity for the police to reflect, reform, and rebuild credibility through transparency and truth. The Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament has become an important platform for uncovering the depth of dysfunction within the SAPS and its oversight structures. While the UDM is not represented on this committee, we will continue to follow its work closely and insist that it leads to concrete reforms, not political theatre. Oversight must be used to restore the integrity of policing, not to manage scandal. The South African public is watching, and it deserves a process that results in accountability, not performance. The UDM condemns the failure of Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and National Commissioner Fannie Masemola to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Police on 15 October 2025. Their absence forced the committee to defer the meeting without hearing from key entities, including the Auditor General. This disregard for Parliament’s oversight at a time of crisis undermines accountability and sends the wrong message to the public. South Africa cannot afford another cycle of delays, denials, or political protection. The UDM calls for a complete overhaul of South Africa’s approach to crime prevention and policing, anchored in the following principles: 1. The SAPS must be depoliticised and led by skilled, ethical professionals who are committed to service, accountability, and the rule of law. 2. Government must coordinate policing, social development, and education programmes to address the root causes of crime, including poverty, youth unemployment, and substance abuse. 3. Law enforcement visibility must be increased through better resourced police stations, functional patrol units, and active Community Policing Forums that work in partnership with residents. 4. The SAPS must modernise its operations by investing in technology, digital forensics, and intelligence-led policing to stay ahead of organised crime. 5. Independent oversight bodies such as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and parliamentary committees must be strengthened to ensure transparency, swift investigation of misconduct, and regular public reporting. 6. The criminal justice system must focus not only on punishment but also on prevention, rehabilitation, and social reintegration, so that cycles of violence are broken and communities are rebuilt. The UDM further urges the Government of National Unity to establish a National Crime Prevention Council that brings together national, provincial, and local law enforcement agencies with civil society, the private sector, and research institutions. Such a structure must coordinate intelligence, align policing priorities, and measure progress on crime reduction across the country. South Africa needs a whole of government response that unites every sphere of the state in restoring safety and public trust. Safety is a constitutional right, not a privilege. Weak leadership weakens justice. The UDM calls on the Government of National Unity to treat crime prevention and police reform as an urgent national priority, not another task for committees and talk shops. The GNU must move beyond rhetoric and deliver a coordinated, well resourced, and accountable plan to rebuild trust between citizens and the state. South Africans deserve a police service that protects them, not one they fear, and a government that acts, not one that explains.
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17 Oct, 2025
A teacher’s betrayal: UDMYV demands justice for exploited young women
Statement by Zintombi Sododile, Chairperson of United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard (UDM Youth Vanguard) expresses its deep outrage at revelations that a teacher from the Eastern Cape stands accused of preying on young women through a trafficking and sexual exploitation ring. It is alleged that this educator targeted women from rural towns such as Qumbu, Mthatha and Ngqeleni, transported them to East London, and exploited their vulnerability for profit under the pretence of offering accommodation and opportunity. Although the investigation reportedly began in September 2023, it has taken more than a year for the matter to reach court. It remains unclear whether the delay lies with the police, the prosecution, or both, but it reflects a wider concern about how cases involving the exploitation of women and children are handled. The slow pace of justice deepens the trauma of survivors and weakens public confidence in law enforcement. The UDM Youth Vanguard calls for clarity and accountability from all institutions involved in the handling of this case. This case exposes a shocking abuse of authority and a moral collapse within an institution meant to nurture and protect the youth. When a teacher, entrusted with guiding the next generation, becomes a perpetrator of such heinous crimes, it betrays the trust of families, communities, and the education system itself. The UDM Youth Vanguard condemns this reprehensible conduct in the strongest terms and demands: 1. The swift and uncompromising prosecution of all those implicated in this trafficking network. 2. An immediate internal investigation by the Department of Education to determine how this went undetected. 3. Comprehensive psychosocial support and protection for all affected survivors. 4. The introduction of stricter vetting and ethics oversight for educators and school staff. 5. A national awareness campaign on human trafficking and sexual exploitation targeting schools and communities. We call on the Minister of Basic Education and the Minister of Police to treat this case as a wake-up call. South Africa cannot allow those entrusted with public service to use their positions to exploit the poor and the powerless. We cannot build a just society while predators hide behind positions of trust. The UDMYV pledges to raise awareness among young people about their rights, to support survivors in seeking justice, and to continue speaking out against abuse wherever it occurs. Every child deserves safety, respect, and a future free from exploitation.
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16 Oct, 2025
No town left behind: UDM backs call to re-industrialise rural and small communities
Statement by Yongama Zigebe, Councillor in the City of Johannesburg for the United Democratic Movement and Chairperson of the S79 Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the release of the report titled “The Impact of De-Industrialisation on Small Towns: Case Studies of Lichtenburg and Komati,” presented yesterday at the Heidelberg Symposium. This ground-breaking report, produced by Frontline Africa Advisory in partnership with the Industrial Development Think Tank (IDTT) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), provides a sobering analysis of how the collapse of industrial capacity in small towns has deepened unemployment, weakened municipal sustainability, and eroded the social fabric of local communities. For the UDM, this report reinforces our long-held conviction that South Africa’s economic revival depends on a deliberate, targeted, and inclusive strategy to re-industrialise small towns and rural areas. It affirms what the UDM has consistently championed: that a vibrant and resilient economy cannot be built on the prosperity of metropolitan centres alone; it must draw its strength from productive, self-sustaining communities across all regions of our country. The UDM was represented at the Heidelberg Symposium by Cllr Yongama Zigebe, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities in the City of Johannesburg. Cllr Zigebe’s participation signified the Movement’s commitment to engaging in evidence-based policy dialogue and to advancing a developmental agenda that restores dignity and opportunity to South Africa’s forgotten towns. The UDM commends the report’s emphasis on place-based industrial renewal, the District Development Model (DDM), and the rebuilding of the industrial commons, which include roads, water systems, energy reliability, and local governance institutions that enable production and investment. These interventions speak directly to the UDM’s policy position that economic transformation must be locally grounded, transparent, and inclusive, ensuring that every South African community becomes a site of growth and productivity rather than decline. We also welcome the report’s gendered and youth-centred analysis, which recognises that women, young people, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by economic collapse. The UDM reiterates that re-industrialisation must be socially just, integrating empowerment and equality into every policy and programme aimed at rebuilding our small towns. The UDM, calls on government to translate these findings into urgent action by aligning industrial policy, infrastructure investment, and skills development through the DDM and in partnership with local communities. Revitalising production, diversifying anchor industries, and professionalising municipal governance are critical to restoring South Africa’s economic dignity. In welcoming this report, the UDM renews its call for a new social compact for re-industrialisation that is collaborative, transparent, and responsive to the lived realities of our people. Small towns are not relics of the past; they are the frontiers of South Africa’s economic future.
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16 Oct, 2025
UDM calls for unity and respect as SAHRC takes stand on hate speech
Statement by Yongama Zigebe, Councillor in the City of Johannesburg for the United Democratic Movement and Chairperson of the S79 Committee on Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes and welcomes the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) decision to refer Mr Ngizwe Mchunu to the Equality Court following his remarks concerning the LGBTQIA+ community. This development marks an important step toward ensuring accountability and affirming that freedom of expression must never cross into the realm of hate speech or incitement. This matter underscores the vital role of our democratic institutions in maintaining respect, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law The UDM was the first political movement to respond to this incident. Our human rights advocate, Mxolisi Makhubu, lodged a formal complaint with the SAHRC immediately after Mr Mchunu’s remarks went viral, drawing millions of views and hundreds of comments openly calling for violence against queer people. The UDM recognised this not as an isolated event but as part of a broader moral and social crisis that demanded urgent institutional response. In parallel, a formal letter was submitted to the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, urging government accountability and leadership in protecting vulnerable groups from hate speech and targeted violence. The letter was tabled by UDM Cllr Yongama Zigebe, Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Gender, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in the City of Johannesburg. “We welcome this decisive move by the SAHRC as a victory for human dignity and a reaffirmation of our Constitution’s founding principles,” said Cllr Yongama Zigebe. “This matter has never been about opinion or culture. It is about human rights. No South African should live in fear because of who they love or how they express their identity. The Equality Court must send a clear message that hate speech and incitement to violence will be met with firm consequences.” The UDM recognises and respects the rich cultural traditions that shape South Africa’s identity. However, culture can never be used as a shield for discrimination or violence. True cultural pride is rooted in Ubuntu, in recognising the humanity and dignity of all South Africans. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of belief and expression, but those freedoms end where they infringe upon the rights and safety of others. Respect for culture must go hand in hand with respect for human rights. UDM human rights advocate Mxolisi Makhubu added: “The UDM acted swiftly because silence is complicity. We cannot preach equality on paper and tolerate hate in practice. The SAHRC’s intervention is welcome, but this must also spark broader government action to educate, protect, and heal.” The UDM expresses concern over the divisive public reaction that followed the celebration of a same-sex traditional wedding. What should have been embraced as a moment of love and cultural pride regrettably became the subject of hurtful commentary and misunderstanding. The UDM believes that such occasions should inspire respect, inclusion, and appreciation of South Africa’s diversity. The UDM calls on government, civil society, and traditional leadership to open channels of dialogue rather than trading insults or deepening divisions. At present, a widening gap of misunderstanding exists between cultural communities and the LGBTQIA+ community. This must be bridged through respectful conversation, public education, and empathy. South Africa’s democracy was built on dialogue, not hostility. The UDM urges all leaders to foster open engagement so that culture and human rights can coexist in harmony, guided by the true spirit of Ubuntu. The UDM remains unwavering in its commitment to justice, equality, and human rights, the pillars upon which our democracy stands.
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16 Oct, 2025
Three decades later, the ANC still fails Eastern Cape learners
Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape condemns the ongoing decay and abandonment of school infrastructure across the province. What we see today is not a sudden crisis but the direct outcome of three decades of neglect under the African National Congress (ANC) government. The ruling party’s failures in planning, oversight and accountability have left thousands of learners without safe and functional schools, while its officials hide behind bureaucracy and empty promises. No one takes responsibility for the hundreds of closed school buildings scattered across the province. Public infrastructure is collapsing while officials pass blame from one department to another. More than a thousand schools have been shut down, many left vandalised and stripped of value, while children in other communities are still learning in structures that are unsafe, overcrowded or falling apart. The tragedy of the Ginsberg Crèche in Qonce, formerly known as King William’s Town, founded by Steve Biko as a living symbol of self-reliance and community dignity, captures the depth of this failure. To allow such a historic and visionary space to decay is an act of utter disrespect, not only to Biko’s legacy but to the children it was meant to serve. A place once built to nurture young minds now lies in ruins, overrun by weeds and indifference. It stands as a monument to how far this province has drifted from its moral duty to protect and educate its children. The UDM in the Eastern Cape calls for the following urgent actions: 1. Eastern Cape Department of Education to conduct a full audit of all closed, abandoned and collapsing schools, publish the findings, and present an infrastructure recovery plan with clear deadlines for refurbishment, reconstruction and security. 2. Provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to take responsibility for maintaining and securing all disused school properties to prevent vandalism, theft and further deterioration. 3. Provincial Treasury to ensure that funds allocated for education infrastructure are ring-fenced and fully spent within the financial year, with public quarterly reports on expenditure and progress. 4. National Department of Basic Education to intervene where provincial capacity has failed through targeted support, technical expertise and oversight to fast-track safe and dignified learning facilities. 5. Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education to institute a formal inquiry into the collapse and abandonment of public-school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape and demand accountability for wasted funds and stalled projects. 6. Communities and School Governing Bodies to guard against vandalism and theft and insist that local schools and historic educational sites such as the Ginsberg Crèche are restored and protected for future generations. The UDM in the Eastern Cape echoes the call to find constructive and community-driven alternative uses for mothballed school buildings so that these spaces can once again serve public good rather than fall into ruin. No province with such deep educational need can afford to lose even a single classroom to incompetence.
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14 Oct, 2025
We go to learn, not to die: UDESMO demands justice at Nelson Mandela University
Statement by Lucia Matomane, UDESMO Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson The United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) in the Eastern Cape deeply is outraged and heartbroken by last night’s brutal break-in at a Nelson Mandela University (NMU) residence in Summerstrand, a crime that left one female student stabbed to death and another gravely injured. This is not just another headline. This is a fellow student gone. A family shattered, and a community with trust broken. For too long, NMU students, especially women, have lived in fear in places that are supposed to be safe. How many times have we heard of robberies, altercations, deaths, or threats in off-campus residences, or on-campus spaces where security is lax? In 2023, there was the murder of Zimkhitha Ntshisela, a student at NMU’s George campus, who was violently stabbed in her own room, and in October 2024, another NMU student was killed during an altercation with a residence manager at a private off-campus residence. These are not isolated incidents; they form a pattern of negligence, of broken promises, of inadequate leadership. We cannot accept a reality where our institutions of learning become unsafe spaces for the very youth we send to build their futures. How does an armed and unknown man gain access to a residence undetected? Where was security when our sisters were under attack? These are questions NMU must answer urgently and transparently. We demand accountability from the university. The safety of students cannot continue to be an afterthought. We call on NMU management to immediately review and strengthen its security measures at all residences, both on and off campus. Our children are sent to university to learn, not to be killed. We stand in solidarity with the families, friends, and the entire NMU community as they mourn this senseless loss. May the soul of the departed rest in peace, may the injured student make a full and speedy recovery, and may justice be served without delay.
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14 Oct, 2025
Rural women deserve more than platitudes, they deserve power
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The story of rural South Africa is written in the hands of women who work the soil, raise families and rebuild communities in the face of hardship. Tomorrow is International Day of Rural Women, and the United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) calls for their recognition not as beneficiaries of policy, but as partners in shaping the nation’s future. Across South Africa’s villages and farmlands, rural women anchor our food systems and local economies, yet their contribution remains undervalued and under-supported. Many continue to face barriers to owning or inheriting land, limited access to clean water and energy, and exclusion from local decision-making. Complicated land application procedures and unclear local regulations, combined with traditional gatekeeping and weak oversight, continue to deny rural women the security, dignity and opportunity they deserve. The result is predictable: hunger, unemployment and disempowerment. When rural women lack secure land, clean water, reliable energy and protection from climate shocks, entire communities fall behind. Yet despite these challenges, rural women continue to feed households, nurture future generations and hold the fabric of our society together. UDEMWO believes that true gender equality cannot be achieved until rural women enjoy the same rights, resources and respect as their urban counterparts. Empowering them is not charity; it is an investment in South Africa’s social and economic recovery. UDEMWO calls on the Government of National Unity to: 1. Work with traditional leaders to develop a Gender-Responsive Communal Land Framework that honours cultural heritage while ensuring that women can also enjoy secure rights to land. 2. Prioritise rural water, sanitation and clean-energy infrastructure as part of the national anti-poverty and food-security strategy. 3. Invest in climate-resilient agriculture and skills development led by rural women farmers, cooperatives and youth. 4. Ensure that every government budget includes specific allocations for rural women’s development, so that promises of equality are backed by real resources and measurable results. 5. Include rural women’s voices in climate, land and local-government forums where decisions affecting their lives are made. 6. Task the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities with leading a coordinated national programme to monitor rural women’s development, ensuring that every department and province delivers tangible outcomes in land access, services and economic empowerment. As we celebrate the courage of rural women, UDEMWO reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that no woman is left behind in land ownership, in leadership or in the fight against hunger and climate injustice. Rural women feed the nation. It is time South Africa fed their hopes with justice, dignity and opportunity.
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14 Oct, 2025
The fire next door: South Africa’s neglected settlements
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement Each shack fire leaves behind not only ash but a reminder of South Africa’s unfinished promise of dignity for all. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) calls attention to the growing pattern of fires in informal settlements as a crisis of governance and human rights that demands immediate national intervention. In recent weeks, blazes in Masiphumelele, Umbilo and Sivilcon have claimed lives, displaced hundreds of families and destroyed thousands of homes. These tragedies expose a deep failure of planning, service provision and accountability in the management of urban and peri-urban settlements. In Masiphumelele, Cape Town, one person died, and 80 residents were left homeless after 20 informal dwellings were reduced to ash. In Umbilo, Durban, more than 170 structures were lost in a single blaze. In Sivilcon, Pretoria, 70 shacks burned within minutes, displacing over 150 residents. Between September 2024 and February 2025, 2 860 informal structures burned down nationwide. The Western Cape was the hardest hit, with 2 088 structures destroyed during this period, about 73% of the national total. The pattern is the same across our cities: crowded conditions, flammable materials, unsafe wiring, lack of access roads and the absence of formal infrastructure turn every spark into catastrophe. Recent research confirms that a single blaze can consume twenty shacks within five minutes under mild wind conditions. Behind these numbers are human beings who lose homes, possessions, documents and loved ones. Entire communities are forced to start again from nothing. Relief agencies such as Gift of the Givers and local NGOs step in to provide blankets and meals, but the cycle repeats because prevention has never been institutionalised. Shack fires are not accidents of poverty. They are the direct outcome of policy neglect and institutional failure. For years, government authorities have treated informal settlements as temporary spaces rather than permanent communities deserving of basic services. By withholding electricity, water, roads and fire hydrants, municipalities have entrenched conditions that make these areas unsafe and unliveable. This denial of infrastructure is not accidental. It is a consequence of choices that have left millions of South Africans exposed to preventable tragedy. Studies in South Africa and internationally have shown that electrified settlements experience far fewer fires than those relying on candles, paraffin or illegal connections. The solution, therefore, is not endless training and disaster relief, but systematic electrification and incremental upgrading. South Africa cannot continue to treat shack dwellers as people who must live and die by candlelight. Urban design interventions must start from the reality that most informal settlements are already densely built and cannot simply be redesigned. Safety improvements must therefore be achievable within existing layouts. Many settlements still rely on a handful of communal taps or irregular water supply, leaving residents defenceless during fires. Government must prioritise the installation of reliable communal taps within reasonable distance, ensure maintenance of pressure and supply, and coordinate with emergency services to provide mobile water tanks in high-risk areas. These practical measures, developed together with residents, can save lives without uprooting communities. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction recognises uncontrolled informal-dwelling fires as a significant global threat to life and well-being. South Africa’s own disaster management frameworks must therefore include fire prevention in informal settlements as a priority hazard category. Prevention, preparedness and risk reduction must take precedence over reactive relief. The UDM calls for the following actions: 1. The Department of Electricity and Energy must fast-track a national audit and phased electrification programme for all informal settlements, prioritising high-density areas most at risk of fire. 2. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs must ensure that every municipality integrates shack-fire risk reduction into its Disaster Management Plan and allocates ring-fenced funding for prevention, not only emergency relief. 3. The Department of Human Settlements must improve basic infrastructure within informal settlements by creating safe access routes for emergency vehicles and expanding water access points to support firefighting efforts. 4. The Department of Statistics South Africa must strengthen data collection, research and analysis on shack fires to capture their human, technical and environmental causes, and ensure that findings are publicly reported to guide prevention strategies. 5. The Department of Local Government must work with communities to establish fire-safety units trained and equipped to serve as first responders using extinguishers, alarms and communication tools. 6. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition must promote partnerships with innovators developing technologies such as heat-based early-warning systems and community micro-insurance models that reduce losses, enable faster recovery and strengthen resilience. 7. The Government of National Unity must end the policy of classifying informal settlements as “temporary” to justify the denial of basic services. Safety, dignity and equal access to infrastructure are constitutional rights, not privileges. Every shack fire is a mirror of our national priorities. It reflects the unfinished business of spatial justice and the failure to treat poor communities as full citizens. Lives continue to be lost because authorities have normalised living without infrastructure. The UDM urges the Government of National Unity to make the prevention of shack fires a national governance priority. South Africa must replace fragmented relief efforts with a long-term programme for electrification, upgrading and safer living conditions. Words of sympathy will not rebuild what negligence destroys.
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13 Oct, 2025
Heartbreak on South Africa’s roads: safety of passengers should never be overlooked
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is deeply saddened by the devastating loss of lives following the shocking bus accident that occurred on the N1 North, near Ingwe Lodge in Limpopo, yesterday, and the taxi accident that left 18 children injured on the N3 highway near the Mariannhill Toll Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal this morning. Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to the grieving families, survivors, and everyone affected by these painful incidents. These tragedies are a tender reminder of how fragile life is. Moments of national sorrow such as these remind us of the ongoing challenges facing our transport systems. Every journey, whether short or long, depends on a transport network that must be both reliable and safe. Consequently, we must confront the conditions that allow some of these accidents to happen. South Africa’s transport infrastructure and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened as a matter of urgency. It is imperative to have regular and consistent vehicle inspections to determine the roadworthiness of cars, buses, taxis, and scholar transport vehicles. Equally important is ensuring that drivers transporting passengers, particularly schoolchildren, hold valid Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs) and comply fully with all safety requirements. Regular vehicle inspections and strict adherence to roadworthiness standards are critical in preventing such tragedies. The safety of passengers should never be overlooked. As a country, we must continue to strengthen our transport infrastructure and promote a culture of safety and accountability. These tragic incidents should compel authorities to prioritise transport safety and to reinforce monitoring systems. Such measures are essential to a broader national commitment to safeguarding lives on our roads.
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13 Oct, 2025
No more raw deals: UDM calls for industrialisation through beneficiation
Statement by Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP, UDM Deputy President and Leader in Parliament The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes the growing national recognition that South Africa can no longer afford to export its mineral wealth in raw form. Mining expert David van Wyk, senior researcher at the Bench Mark Foundation, has echoed what the UDM has consistently maintained: that sending our raw minerals abroad while importing finished goods back at high prices is economic madness that robs South Africans of jobs, skills, and industrial capacity. We also note that President Ramaphosa and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe have recently begun echoing the same arguments that the UDM has advanced for decades. It seems that government has at last cottoned onto our long-standing policy vision that beneficiation is not a slogan but the foundation for a self-reliant and inclusive economy. However, beneficiation cannot succeed through rhetoric alone. It requires practical readiness and firm commitment to implementation. South Africa needs affordable and reliable electricity, efficient rail and port systems, well-maintained roads and water infrastructure, sustained investment in research and technology, sound legislative frameworks, and policy certainty that inspires confidence among responsible investors. Without these foundations, talk of industrialisation will remain hollow. These are not new insights; they are the very obstacles the UDM has been raising in Parliament and in public since the late 1990s. In particular, the UDM reiterates that the revival of the national rail network is central to any beneficiation strategy. Rail is the backbone of mineral logistics, yet years of neglect, theft, and mismanagement at Transnet have crippled our ability to move bulk commodities cost-effectively. The UDM calls for an urgent rail recovery plan that includes modernisation of freight corridors, tighter security along strategic lines, and partnerships with the private sector and neighbouring states to open regional export routes. Without a reliable and affordable rail system, the promise of beneficiation will remain out of reach and South Africa will continue to lose billions to inefficiency and road damage. The UDM calls for the following: 1. Compulsory and measurable beneficiation targets that ensure South Africa no longer exports its wealth in raw form. This must be backed by reliable and affordable electricity, functioning transport networks, and a modern rail system capable of carrying bulk commodities and finished products efficiently. 2. A phased and strategic approach to export controls that links any restrictions or taxes to proven domestic readiness. Government must first fix energy, rail, and port infrastructure before introducing policies that could undermine mining operations or investment. 3. Focused public incentives for companies that process minerals locally, including tax relief, concessional financing, and access to industrial zones. These incentives must reward firms that create jobs, invest in new technology, and commit to training South African workers. 4. Concrete benefit-sharing for mining communities through local procurement, infrastructure investment, social facilities, and ownership opportunities. The people living alongside mines must see tangible improvements in their daily lives as part of beneficiation policy. 5. An urgent national rail recovery and modernisation plan to rebuild Transnet’s freight capacity, strengthen security against theft and vandalism, and link mining areas to ports and industrial hubs across the SADC region. Efficient rail transport will reduce road damage, lower logistics costs, and unlock regional trade potential. 6. A coordinated governance structure that brings together the Departments of Mineral Resources and Energy, Trade, Industry and Competition, Public Enterprises, Transport, and Science and Innovation. This structure must track progress, align funding, and report annually to Parliament on beneficiation outcomes. For too long, South Africa’s mineral riches have been a blessing squandered. Beneficiation offers a path to rebuild our industries and restore dignity to our people. The Government of National Unity must now prove that it governs for South Africans, not for exporters and elites.
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13 Oct, 2025
Growing Minds scandal exposes Western Cape’s education blind spot
Statement by Bulelwa Zondeka, Chairperson of the UDM in the Western Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Western Cape is deeply concerned by revelations that the Growing Minds Summerfield campus in Gardens, in the inner-city of Cape Town, has been operating high school grades without proper registration. Parents who enrolled their children in good faith have now discovered that the school’s learners were not recorded on the national Centralised Education Management Information System (CEMIS), and that their children’s matric futures are now in jeopardy. This incident exposes a disturbing failure of governance and oversight within the provincial education system. It is unacceptable that a school could operate for years beyond the grades for which it was registered, without detection or intervention from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The WCED’s reactive posture, intervening only after parents raised alarm, shows the dangers of a fragmented and complaint-driven regulatory system. The WCED’s official response, which shifts the responsibility onto parents to verify a school’s registration, is wholly inadequate and deeply misleading. The Department claims it “encourages all parents who are considering an independent school to first ensure that the school is registered for the grades offered.” Yet there is no publicly accessible database through which parents can make such verification. Expecting parents to act as investigators while the state withholds basic information is unreasonable and negligent. The fact that Growing Minds expanded from Grade 7 to Grade 11 as far back as 2022, and that the WCED only “became aware” in 2024, speaks volumes about the Department’s weak inspection systems. Oversight that depends on parental complaints rather than proactive monitoring is not oversight at all; it is abdication of duty. The UDM in the Western Cape reiterates that education is not a private enterprise but a public trust. When schools operate outside the law, it is learners and families who pay the price. This incident should be a wake-up call for the province and the nation to strengthen the integrity of our school registration and monitoring systems. The UDM in the Western Cape therefore calls for: 1. A comprehensive investigation by the WCED into how Growing Minds Summerfield was allowed to expand illegally, and whether departmental officials failed in their duties of inspection and enforcement. 2. The urgent creation by the WCED and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) of a public, online national register of all registered schools, clearly indicating accreditation status, curriculum, and approved grades, so that parents can verify information easily. 3. The DBE, as the custodian of CEMIS, to ensure that learner registration on CEMIS is mandatory and enforced in all provinces, with compliance audits conducted quarterly in collaboration with provincial departments. 4. The DBE, Umalusi and provincial education departments to jointly develop a School Closure and Learner Transfer Protocol to protect learners whenever a school’s registration is withdrawn or discontinued. The UDM in the Western Cape believes that quality education begins with strong oversight, transparency, and accountability. The Western Cape prides itself on high standards, yet incidents such as this one reveal an alarming blind spot in the provincial Education Department’s supervision of independent schools. Oversight must be proactive, not reactive. The UDM in the Western Cape calls on Education MEC David Maynier to take full responsibility for addressing these systemic weaknesses and to present to the Provincial Legislature within 30 days a plan outlining measures to prevent a repeat of this scandal. Learners’ futures cannot depend on parental vigilance alone. Education is a constitutional right, not a commercial experiment. We will continue to monitor this case closely and stand with affected parents in demanding justice and reform.
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12 Oct, 2025
South Africa’s kidnapping epidemic: it can happen to anyone
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is deeply disturbed by the growing wave of kidnappings that continues to grip our country. In the most recent case, a man was rescued on the R80 highway in Tshwane from a vehicle whose occupants were found with blue lights, firearms, and clothing marked with police insignia. This shocking incident shows how criminals now exploit public trust in law enforcement to entrap and terrorise innocent citizens. For the UDM, this crisis is not an abstract statistic. In June last year, our Deputy President, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, was abducted in Driftsands while on his way to Cape Town. He was tied up, robbed, and released only after a ransom was paid. That experience reminded us that in today’s South Africa, it truly can happen to anyone, public figures and ordinary people alike. Research and police data confirm that only a small fraction of kidnappings involve long-term ransom demands. The overwhelming majority occur during hijackings and armed robberies where victims are restrained, forced to withdraw money, or used to access bank accounts. These short, opportunistic abductions, known as express kidnappings, are now among the most common forms of the crime. It is reported that on average, two such incidents take place in South Africa every day. A particularly cruel development is the growing use of forced ransom calls. Victims are often made at gunpoint to phone their families or employers and demand payment for their own release. What begins as a robbery or hijacking quickly turns into extortion, as kidnappers blend methods to maximise profit and fear. Families are thrown into panic, transferring whatever funds they can while the perpetrators vanish before police can respond. This shows how organised and ruthless these syndicates have become. Women and girls are among the most frequent and vulnerable victims of these crimes. Many are abducted while commuting, working, or attending school, and face the added dangers of sexual assault, trafficking, and gender-based violence. The trauma inflicted on women and children extends beyond the individual, leaving entire families and communities living in fear. Addressing kidnapping therefore also means confronting the broader crisis of violence against women and girls in our society. The rise of blue-light gangs, fake police operations, and express kidnappings paints a grim picture of a country where safety can no longer be taken for granted. This crisis demands urgent and coordinated action. If criminals can so easily impersonate law enforcement, how are South Africans supposed to know who to trust on the road? Citizens should never have to fear that stopping for a flashing light could cost them their lives. Government must urgently review the visibility, identification, and conduct of genuine police officers, including clear roadside verification systems, properly marked vehicles, and public education on how to confirm an officer’s identity without putting oneself in danger. The UDM calls for: 1. A national crackdown on blue-light gangs and police impersonation, with full accountability for anyone found complicit or negligent and stricter control over the sale and use of sirens, uniforms, and police-branded apparel. 2. The strengthening of anti-kidnapping and crime-intelligence task teams in every province, with specialised capacity to respond to express and ransom kidnappings. 3. Comprehensive protection and psychosocial support for victims, especially women and girls, including trauma counselling, safe-house access, and integration with gender-based violence services. 4. Public education and safety-awareness campaigns to inform citizens about express kidnappings, blue-light stops, and what to do if a loved one is abducted or forced to make ransom calls. 5. Partnerships between law-enforcement agencies, banks, and mobile-payment platforms to detect suspicious withdrawals and transfers made under duress, supported by real-time alert systems and panic PIN technology. 6. Faster prosecution and harsher sentencing for kidnapping, extortion, and police impersonation, with dedicated prosecutors and priority dockets in the courts. 7. A national task force on kidnapping and organised crime, coordinated through Parliament and the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster, to drive reforms in intelligence, data sharing, and victim support. Kidnapping has become a daily threat to South Africans. It is no longer a crime of the few against the wealthy but a reflection of our broader failure to protect citizens and uphold the rule of law. The UDM calls on the Government of National Unity (GNU) to treat crime and public safety as a true national-security emergency. The GNU must show unity in action, not only in words, by restoring faith in policing, strengthening intelligence, and ensuring that every South African can live, work, and travel without fear. Our people deserve a government that makes their safety one of its primary priorities.
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11 Oct, 2025
From protectors to perpetrators: robbery of foreign illicit cigarette traders
Statement by Stanley Manaka, Provincial Chairperson of the United Democratic Movement in Limpopo The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in Limpopo adds its voice to our national leadership’s growing alarm over the spread of illicit trade and criminal collusion within the state. The recent arrest of four police officers and a civilian for allegedly robbing an Ethiopian family in Mashishing (Lydenburg) of almost R1 million in cash and illicit cigarettes worth R1.5 million further illustrates the depth of this crisis. Limpopo shares multiple border gates with neighbouring countries, including Beitbridge, Groblersbrug, and Pontdrift; all of which remain vulnerable to cross-border smuggling, corruption, and organised criminal activity. The involvement of police officers in this crime shows how these syndicates are being enabled from within, eroding public trust and compromising national security. Reports confirm that the suspects used both marked and private vehicles, including a South African Police Service (SAPS) Flying Squad VW Golf, during the robbery. Investigators later recovered SAPS-issued firearms, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest, as well as tampered vehicle number plates and hidden cash. Such conduct by officers sworn to protect the public represents a grave betrayal of duty and a reflection of systemic failure in law enforcement oversight. At the same time, the incident exposes how South Africans and foreign nationals have become intertwined in criminal networks trading in illicit cigarettes, alcohol, and other contraband. While foreign nationals are often visible in these operations, local enablers, including corrupt officials, play an equally destructive role in sustaining this criminal economy. The UDM in Limpopo calls for urgent action. 1. The Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority, under Minister Leon Schreiber, must reinforce all border points in Limpopo with well-trained and properly resourced border management units. 2. The Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans and the Ministry of Police must root out corruption within the ranks of the South African National Defence Force and the SAPS through transparent investigations, swift prosecutions, and the dismissal of all those found guilty of collusion or criminality. 3. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force, and the South African Revenue Service must coordinate operations under the oversight of the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services to effectively dismantle cross-border criminal networks. 4. Parliament’s Portfolio Committees on Defence, Police, Home Affairs, and Finance, together with the Limpopo Provincial Legislature, must intensify oversight of border management and defence operations to ensure transparency and accountability. 5. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, in partnership with local municipalities and civil society organisations, must launch community vigilance and awareness campaigns to expose smuggling networks and promote lawful, safe economic activity. This incident is not isolated. It forms part of a wider pattern that undermines the rule of law and endangers honest officers who continue to serve with integrity. Limpopo’s strategic position at the country’s northern gateway demands decisive action and visible leadership to restore order and credibility. The UDM in Limpopo aligns itself with the call made by the UDM at national level for stronger border control, anti-corruption reforms, and a coordinated fight against the criminal syndicates weakening South Africa’s governance and economy.
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11 Oct, 2025
Scholar transport chaos a legacy of decades of ANC failure
Scholar transport chaos a legacy of decades of ANC failure Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape Years of poor planning and neglect have turned the Eastern Cape’s scholar transport programme into a crisis that now threatens thousands of learners. The decision by the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) to suspend scholar transport from 13 October is the direct consequence of the Eastern Cape government’s continued failure to manage and fund this vital programme. This is not an isolated incident but the cumulative outcome of years of mismanagement under African National Congress (ANC) administrations that have consistently failed to prioritise education in this province. For more than a decade, provincial administration has ignored every warning about late payments, corruption, and systemic underfunding. The situation has now reached breaking point. Between 2022 and 2025 alone, the same problems have repeated year after year: • Operators go unpaid for months, leaving them bankrupt while learners are stranded. • In 2024 alone, 50 000 qualifying pupils were excluded from the programme because of budget shortfalls. • The Makhanda High Court ruled in December 2024 that the Departments of Education and Transport acted unconstitutionally by failing to provide scholar transport to all qualifying learners. • The 2025/2026 provincial budget of R800 million has already collapsed under pressure, with funds exhausted by October and scholar transport once again paralysed. • Investigations have revealed millions wasted on “ghost scholar” contracts while real children are left to walk dangerous distances to school. The right to basic education is immediately realisable under the Constitution. The Eastern Cape provincial government has a direct legal duty to provide safe and reliable transport to learners and cannot hide behind excuses of limited funds or administrative delay. Its repeated failure to comply with court orders and to budget adequately for scholar transport places it in clear violation of the Constitution and in potential contempt of the Makhanda High Court judgment. This ongoing neglect is a betrayal of the province’s learners and a breach of the public trust. The UDM in the Eastern Cape demands decisive provincial implementation to restore this critical programme: 1. The Premier must establish a dedicated Provincial Task Team to oversee full implementation of the Makhanda High Court judgment. 2. The MEC for Finance, Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the MEC for Transport and Community Safety, and the MEC for Education must table an emergency adjustment budget to close funding shortfalls and ensure that all payments are made within 30 days. 3. The Department of Transport must publish a transparent list of all verified operators, payment schedules, and outstanding invoices, and must immediately investigate and eliminate the so-called “ghost scholar” contracts that have drained millions from the programme. 4. The Provincial Treasury must ring-fence all scholar transport funds and prevent diversion to other programmes. 5. The Provincial Legislature’s Education and Transport Committees must conduct monthly oversight visits to monitor compliance, investigate allegations of fraud and mismanagement, and report publicly on progress. There can be no excuse for the Eastern Cape provincial government that once again fails its most vulnerable citizens. The children of the Eastern Cape deserve leadership that plans, pays, and delivers. The UDM in the Eastern Cape will continue to hold the provincial administration accountable until every qualifying learner has safe and reliable transport to school, not as a favour but as a right. This crisis is the direct legacy of the ANC’s decades of neglect and poor governance, which have left the province trapped in a cycle of underfunding, corruption, and administrative failure. As a partner in the Government of National Unity (GNU), the UDM in the Eastern Cape calls on Minister of Basic Education, Ms Gwarube, to intervene decisively. The Minister must ensure that the Eastern Cape government complies with the Makhanda High Court judgment and delivers on its obligations to learners and communities. The GNU cannot allow provincial failures to undermine national commitments to education. Minister Gwarube must demand accountability, enforce compliance with court orders, and ensure that public funds allocated for scholar transport are used transparently and efficiently to restore faith in government and uphold the constitutional right to education.
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11 Oct, 2025
For ALL Women and Girls: equality cannot wait
Media Statement by Thandi Nontenja, MP and UDEMWO Secretary General The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) joins the global community in marking the International Day of the Girl under the theme For ALL Women and Girls. This year’s observance reminds us that genuine gender equality requires inclusion across class, race, geography, and generation. Across South Africa, girls continue to live between promise and prejudice. Women make up 51% of the population and head 42% of households, yet they remain underrepresented in the economy and leadership. Female unemployment stands at 33.9%, rising to 38% among Black African women, and women occupy less than a third of senior management positions. These figures reveal not a lack of talent but a failure of opportunity. Gender-based violence and femicide remain the most devastating expression of inequality in our country. South Africa continues to record some of the highest levels of violence against women and girls, turning homes and communities into unsafe spaces. This brutality reflects a deep moral and social crisis that demands urgent action. Laws alone are not enough; we need a justice system that acts swiftly, police who protect survivors with compassion, and communities that refuse to normalise abuse. UDEMWO continues to advocate for the denial of parole to those convicted of rape and the murder of women and girls, as a clear message that such cruelty will not be tolerated. Every woman and girl deserves to live without fear, and every act of violence must be met with justice. Cultural and social norms continue to hold girls back. Faith and culture are important sources of identity and guidance, but they should never be used to justify the subordination of women and girls. A recent study shows that seven in ten men believe women should obey their husbands, demonstrating the urgent need to reinterpret cultural norms in ways that promote equality and dignity for all. From villages to boardrooms, transformation must reach tradition. Traditional and religious leaders, families, men, and boys must work together to dismantle harmful stereotypes and build communities where girls’ dreams are nurtured and respected. UDEMWO believes that empowering girls begins with economic freedom, quality education, and bodily autonomy. Economic inclusion, from equal pay to access to finance for women-owned enterprises, is not charity; it is justice. It is also smart economics because when women and girls thrive, entire communities benefit. UDEMWO therefore calls for: 1. Equal investment in girls’ education, especially in rural and low-income communities. 2. Gender-responsive budgeting at all levels of government to fund programmes that directly improve the lives of women and girls. 3. Zero tolerance for gender-based violence and femicide, including the denial of parole for rapists and murderers of women and girls, and better support for survivors through policing, prosecution, and psychosocial care. 4. Partnerships with faith and traditional leaders to reinterpret cultural practices in ways that affirm equality and human dignity. 5. Economic inclusion and empowerment through equal pay, targeted support for women-owned enterprises, and access to credit and land. 6. Mentorship and leadership pathways for girls to enter science, politics, business, and community leadership. As we commemorate the International Day of the Girl, UDEMWO honours the courage of girls who, despite obstacles, refuse to be silenced. Their struggle is not separate from that of women; it forms its foundation. Our collective task is to ensure that every girl in every community can live and lead freely, safely, and equally. For ALL Women and Girls. Our future depends on it.
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10 Oct, 2025
Justice must prevail: UDM applauds flotilla mission and reaffirms support for ICJ process
Statement by Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP, UDM Deputy President and Leader in Parliament The United Democratic Movement (UDM) welcomes home the six South African activists who were detained after joining the Global Sumud Flotilla on its humanitarian mission to Gaza. The Party salutes Nkosi Mandla Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner, Carolyn Shelver, Zaheera Soomar, Dr Fatima Hendricks and Reaz Moola for their courage and solidarity with the people of Palestine. Their safe return to South African soil is a relief to their families and to all who value human rights and compassion. Yet their ordeal should trouble every conscience. The activists have spoken of terrifying experiences at the hands of Israeli forces. They described rifles being pointed at their heads, religious garments being torn off, humiliation, intimidation and degrading treatment. Dr Hendricks, a cancer survivor, recounted being stripped of her hijab and mocked by soldiers while in detention. These are not acts of security enforcement but violations of human dignity. The UDM condemns the abuse of humanitarian workers in the strongest possible terms. Those who deliver food, medicine and hope must never be treated as enemies. Their testimonies must be documented and investigated by international human rights bodies. The state of Israel must be held fully accountable for its actions and must respect international humanitarian law. This incident also comes at a time when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is preparing to rule on Israel’s obligations in the occupied Palestinian territories. The world awaits this ruling with great anticipation. It was South Africa that brought this matter before the Court, arguing that Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank amount to violations of the Genocide Convention and other fundamental principles of international law. In its earlier provisional orders, the ICJ directed Israel to prevent acts that could constitute genocide and to allow unimpeded humanitarian access. The forthcoming advisory opinion is therefore not an abstract legal exercise, but a continuation of a process initiated by South Africa in defence of international justice and human rights. Our country must continue to play a leading role in ensuring that these legal processes are respected and that the authority of the ICJ is upheld. This is both a legal duty and a moral obligation rooted in our own struggle for freedom, equality and dignity. The return of our compatriots should not mark the end of our concern but the strengthening of our resolve. Their courage reminds us that solidarity with the oppressed is not an act of charity but of justice. The UDM reaffirms that peace in the Middle East will only be achieved through justice and respect for human rights. The protection of civilians, the integrity of international law, and the equal dignity of all people must guide every nation’s actions.
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10 Oct, 2025
31 years later: ANC has bankrupted the Eastern Cape municipalities
Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape is deeply disturbed by revelations that seven municipalities in the Eastern Cape are on the verge of financial collapse. This is not an isolated administrative failure. It is the product of decades of African National Congress (ANC) misrule that has left local government structures hollow, indebted, and incapable of delivering even the most basic services. The Provincial Treasury’s presentation to Parliament revealed that Makana, Sundays River Valley, Amathole, Raymond Mhlaba, Amahlathi, Walter Sisulu and King Sabata Dalindyebo municipalities will not survive beyond a month without intervention. Only Koukamma has slightly more cash reserves, barely enough for three months. Under ANC governance, 33 out of 39 municipalities are distressed, with only six receiving clean audits in the 2023/24 financial year. The scale of financial recklessness is staggering. Nelson Mandela Bay Metro recorded R22 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Buffalo City Metro recorded R11.6 billion. Amathole District recorded R1.3 billion, OR Tambo District R1.1 billion, and Inxuba Yethemba R910 million. Despite this, more than R300 million in unspent infrastructure funds was returned to the National Treasury. This is an unforgivable betrayal of the people. A province drowning in unemployment and poverty is being robbed not only by corruption but by chronic incompetence. The UDM in the Eastern Cape holds Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Zolile Williams politically responsible for the collapse of governance in the province. For years they have been warned about the dire state of municipalities but responded with empty plans and recycled rhetoric. MEC Williams himself has acknowledged that Nelson Mandela Bay accounts for over seventy percent of the province’s R30 billion in irregular expenditure, driven by evergreen contracts that he admits are criminal. Yet there is no visible action, no prosecutions, and no accountability. The rot runs deep. A captured CFO in Sundays River Valley inflated consultancy contracts from R4 million to R38 million. Evergreen contracts in Nelson Mandela Bay have become the feeding trough for politically connected service providers. State departments owe municipalities such as Nelson Mandela Bay more than R208 million in unpaid rates and service charges, proof that even government does not respect local government. It is shocking and unacceptable that national and provincial government departments owe municipalities more than R208 million in unpaid rates and service charges. These are not private companies or delinquent ratepayers. They are organs of the same state that lectures ordinary citizens about paying their municipal accounts. This failure by the state to pay what it owes is an act of internal sabotage. It cripples the very municipalities tasked with delivering water, electricity, sanitation and waste removal to communities. When government departments do not honour their obligations, they drain the lifeblood of local government, its revenue base, and accelerate the collapse of essential services. The UDM in the Eastern Cape finds this behaviour reprehensible and hypocritical. It exposes a culture of impunity within the ANC government where accountability is applied selectively. Citizens are threatened with disconnection for non-payment, while government institutions continue to consume services without consequence. This situation also shows the utter breakdown of intergovernmental cooperation in the Eastern Cape. The Premier and his MECs have allowed a crisis where the left hand of government starves the right. How can municipalities be expected to survive when the very departments that fund them are also their biggest debtors? The UDM in the Eastern Cape is deeply concerned by the recent remarks of Buffalo City Mayor Princess Faku, who told Parliament that her municipality is “neither dysfunctional nor cash-strapped.” This statement is misleading and irresponsible. Both the Provincial Treasury and the Auditor-General have confirmed that Buffalo City incurred R11.6 billion in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and returned unspent infrastructure funds while residents continue to endure failing services. For a mayor to deny this reality shows disregard for the truth and for the daily struggles of the people she serves. It reflects the ANC’s entrenched culture of denial, where leaders protect their image instead of fixing what is broken. The UDM calls on Premier Mabuyane to act against Mayor Faku for misleading Parliament and the public. The people of Buffalo City deserve honesty, accountability and real solutions, not empty political theatre. As a partner in the Government of National Unity (GNU), the UDM in the Eastern Cape believes this crisis demands direct intervention by the National CoGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa. The Minister must immediately: 1. Deploy a national intervention team to the seven municipalities on the brink of collapse, with powers to stabilise finances, strengthen governance, and halt corruption. 2. Oversee forensic investigations into the misuse of funds, fraudulent consultancy contracts, and the R30 billion evergreen contract scandal in Nelson Mandela Bay. 3. Ensure strict consequence management, including suspension and prosecution of accounting officers, councillors and mayors who enabled this rot. 4. Coordinate intergovernmental debt recovery, compelling all government departments to pay what they owe to municipalities. 5. Enforce public transparency and reporting, ensuring that all municipal recovery reports demanded by Parliament are made public within thirty days. 6. Work with National Treasury and the Department of Water and Sanitation to restore critical infrastructure and basic service delivery in the affected municipalities. 7. Hold Premier Mabuyane and MEC Williams politically accountable for years of failed oversight and negligence under their leadership. The UDM in the Eastern Cape also reminds the ANC, as a partner in the GNU, that it carries the greatest responsibility for this crisis. Its national leadership must urgently call its counterparts in the province and municipalities to order. The continued collapse of governance in the Eastern Cape is not just a local embarrassment; it undermines the credibility of the GNU’s commitment to clean, accountable and effective government. If the ANC is sincere about renewal, it must start by cleaning its own house in this province. For thirty-one years, the ANC has turned the Eastern Cape into a case study of corruption and decay. The people deserve better. They deserve leaders who act, not talk, who serve, not steal. The UDM in the Eastern Cape calls on all honest public servants, civil society and communities to rally behind the call for accountability and renewal.
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09 Oct, 2025
Dlamini 2.0: How Social Development is sliding back into scandal
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is deeply concerned by the avalanche of revelations exposing the collapse of governance, accountability, and ethics within the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). Recent reports from the Auditor-General and Parliament confirm what the UDM has warned for years: that a department meant to be the moral anchor of our democracy has regressed into a web of mismanagement, patronage, and disregard for the poor. Allegations surrounding Minister Sisisi Tolashe’s conduct have plunged the portfolio into scandal. The appointment of a 22-year-old Chief of Staff, the reported romantic relationship with a special adviser, and the extravagant R3 million trip to New York, all paint a disturbing picture of arrogance and impunity. The dual role of Minister Tolashe as both ANC Women’s League President and head of a department responsible for welfare programmes has raised questions about partisan influence over state resources. This is not the first time that the Department of Social Development (DSD) has been brought into disrepute under the leadership of an ANC Women’s League President. South Africans will remember former Minister Bathabile Dlamini, who left behind a trail of corruption, negligence, and constitutional violations. She presided over the 2017 social grants crisis that nearly collapsed SASSA, was found guilty of perjury by the courts, and had earlier been convicted for her role in the Travelgate scandal. The parallels are disturbing. What the country is witnessing today under Minister Tolashe is Dlamini 2.0, another example of a department seemingly captured by political insiders, mired in scandal, and indifferent to the suffering of the poor. The latest report from the Auditor-General confirms that the DSD has regressed in performance and financial management. Persistent irregular expenditure, vacant posts, and weak internal controls continue to undermine delivery. At the same time, SASSA, once a cornerstone of social protection, has become synonymous with chaos. Payment failures, technical breakdowns, and corruption have repeatedly left millions of pensioners, people with disabilities, and child grant recipients destitute. The crisis at Postbank and its dependency on the collapsing South African Post Office (SAPO) illustrate the state’s failure to separate financial operations from logistical ruin. Postbank, which is still in transition to becoming a stand-alone state bank, relies heavily on SAPO’s broken infrastructure. This entanglement has crippled SASSA’s payment system and created an endless cycle of system failures, contract extensions, and beneficiary suffering. The UDM calls for: 1. An independent forensic investigation into all contracts, expenditures, and appointments linked to SASSA and Postbank, including the R3 million New York trip. The Portfolio Committee on Social Development, working with the Auditor-General and the Public Service Commission, must lead this process. 2. The urgent separation of Postbank from the failing Post Office. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies must pull up its socks and fast track the implementation of the Postbank Amendment Act to make Postbank a fully independent, modern, and secure state bank. The Department must also accelerate SAPO’s reform through modernisation, digital transformation, and diversification of postal services. South Africans cannot continue to suffer because the state insists on patching up two failing institutions instead of reforming them. 3. A full audit of the social grant payment system to guarantee reliability, transparency, and protection from political interference. 4. Stronger parliamentary oversight to ensure that social protection serves the poor and not political insiders. Behind every scandal is a pensioner who sleeps hungry, a child whose grant is delayed, and a family whose only income disappears in bureaucratic confusion. The DSD has lost its moral compass. It is unacceptable that those who rely most on the state should pay the highest price for government incompetence. As a committed partner in the Government of National Unity, the UDM will not remain silent while the poor are betrayed by those entrusted to serve them. The GNU was established to restore credibility, rebuild ethical governance, and deliver on the promise of a capable state. It cannot succeed if some of its members treat public office as a personal fiefdom. The President must ensure that accountability is not applied selectively and that all departments, including Social Development, reflect the values and discipline that the GNU was created to uphold. Social development should be the conscience of the state, not a playground for self-enrichment. The UDM urges the Government of National Unity to act decisively to clean this department, restore integrity, and protect the dignity of our people. The welfare of South Africans cannot continue to depend on a ministry drowning in scandal and a payment system built on failure.
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09 Oct, 2025
Fort Hare must rise again through dialogue and reform
Statement by Lucia Matomane, UDESMO Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson The United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) is deeply disturbed by the violent turn of events at the University of Fort Hare. As an organisation that stands for the right of students to learn, organise, and express themselves without fear, we are both pained by the destruction of this historic institution and compelled to speak to the deeper causes that led to this crisis. What is unfolding at Fort Hare is not simply an outbreak of lawlessness. It is the eruption of years of frustration among students who have been ignored, sidelined, and denied a voice in decisions that directly affect their lives and education. Students have long raised concerns about governance failures, delayed or inconsistent SRC elections, financial exclusions, and an institutional culture that too often treats them as subjects rather than partners in higher education. These grievances have been met not with dialogue and reform, but with silence, interdicts, and sometimes violence. UDESMO does not condone the destruction of property or the endangerment of lives. Acts of arson and violence do not advance our struggle for a just and accountable university system. They set it back. Yet condemning violence must not become a way to avoid addressing the legitimate demands of the student body. The University’s leadership, the Department of Higher Education, and the broader Government of National Unity must confront the structural crises that continue to ignite campuses across the country: underfunding, authoritarian management styles, and the exclusion of poor and working-class youth. Fort Hare, once a beacon of African intellectual liberation, cannot become a symbol of despair. UDESMO calls for: 1. An independent mediation process to rebuild trust between the university administration, students, and workers. 2. Immediate support for affected students, including trauma counselling and academic recovery plans. 3. A national dialogue on student governance to ensure democratic representation at all institutions of higher learning. 4. Firm action against those who exploit unrest to pursue political or criminal ends. 5. A review of campus security practices to end the cycle of violence between students and private security personnel. The flames at Fort Hare should awaken the conscience of our nation. Students are not enemies of progress. We are its engine. The time has come for government, university leadership, and society at large to listen before the next campus burns.
