UDM President, Bantu Holomisa and local UDM leaders have been campaigning throughout Limpopo for the past few days. Today the UDM received 220 new members, formerly from the ANC, in Gapuka (Makopane area), and Mr Holomisa was on hand to welcome them into the fold.

He said: "You are joining the UDM because you are responding to the clarion call across the country that never again must the nation depend on only one political party."

"The events of the past four years indicate that the moral fibre of the country is being severely tested. We have to ensure that we strengthen the checks and balances to promote multi-party democracy, in order to turn the tide of corruption, anarchy, lack of discipline and lack of leadership being shown by the ANC Government and its alliance partners."

He also said: "You are joining the UDM at a time when there is intense infighting within your former political party, the ANC. All of this political instability has created doubt amongst investors and potential investors in this country, especially since the infighting centres more on petty issues and self-aggrandisement, rather than a contest of ideas to improve service delivery."

"You have a made a wise move, when the ANC and its alliance partners, that should be custodians of the Constitution and the rule of law, are campaigning for serious criminal charges against their leader to be dropped and the rule of law suspended to accommodate one man. What happened to 'all shall be equal before the law'?"

"Together we must work hard to restore dignity to the politics in this country; a dignity that shows respect for the democratic institutions. I have no doubt in my mind that you could no longer stomach the anarchic tendencies which we have witnessed in the recent past being perpetrated amongst ANC leaders and the general lack of discipline and incoherence, for instance the Youth leaders who insist on having the last word against their seniors."

"We welcome your decision to join us because this area was known as an ANC stronghold - and so we urge you to spread the message of the UDM in other ANC strongholds."