Speech by Bantu Holomisa at the launch of the UDM Election Manifesto (22/03/1999)

The better future plan - election manifesto of the UDM

To all South Africans
The constitution of the UDM enshrines principles that all members and office-bearers commit themselves to. These principles are expressed in our vision, mission and core values and read as follows:

Our vision states:
"We are the political home of all South Africans, united in the spirit of South Africanism by our common passion for our Country, mobilising the creative spirit inherent in our rich diversity towards our transformation into a Winning Nation."

Our mission states:
"We will unite South Africans from all communities in a new political home, built on the foundation of the principles and ideals of our national Constitution. To this end, we will address poverty and imbalances in our society, inspired by our unifying love of our country and its people. We will set free the creative power inherent in our diversity and will co-operate with all stake-holders to ensure a quality life and individual freedom for every citizen, based on good governance and civil order, towards being a Winning Nation."

Our core values are as follows:
respect for the life, dignity and human worth of every individual;
integrity in public and private life;
the individual rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution;
tolerance and respect for the rights and freedoms of others;
solidarity in the common spiritual ownership of all that is good in our country;
national self-discipline based on an acceptance that each right and freedom carries with it a corresponding and equal obligation and responsibility;
national moral regeneration towards a clear distinction between right and wrong, between good and evil, between what is acceptable conduct and what is not;
economic policies based on moral values;
freedom of religion and worship.

Our vision is inspired by a deep commitment to change the painful living conditions affecting so many South Africans today. The majority of South Africans are still victims of the devastating effects of poverty. This deprives them of hope and relegates them to a state of despair. It destroys their capacity to achieve. This poverty is entrenched by the increasing gap between rich and poor, a direct result of the imbalances of the past and the current government’s performance.

The UDM believes in responsible government. By applying a new ethical framework of incorruptibility, accountability, transparency and impartiality to our government, we will provide hope and direction for all South Africans. We must restore faith in the government, and we must ignite a spirit of national pride.

We are different from other political parties, because we practice and promote South Africanism across all historically divided barriers, creating a new political home for South Africans. We are not another opposition party; we are the alternative government.

Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION
An improved balance between accelerated economic growth and financial and fiscal discipline will be the basis of our macro-economic plan that will ensure higher investor confidence and faster job creation. South Africa needs rapid and sustainable socio-economic expansion through enterprise development. The poor performance of the existing macro-economic plan will be addressed in such a way that the positive elements of the plan are enhanced whilst improving the negative aspects. Innovative proposals and specific solutions to current shortcomings are the following:

1. The budget deficit, which currently equals 12% of state spending, will be reduced to zero in a 3-year period. One way to accomplish this will be to identify and terminate wasteful and unnecessary government expenditures. Money used to service the interest on debt will be made available to deliver services to our people.

2. A privatisation programme, which is beneficial to all South Africans, will be developed. Such a programme will accelerate the creation of infrastructure whilst attracting investments, providing jobs, and enhancing local ownership.

3. The tax on fuel will be cut to relieve the burden of transport costs on commuters who travel long distances.

4. The tax on personal income, up to R4000 per month, will be abolished.

5. Government programmes which employ and train the unemployed in agricultural and community development projects will be introduced. These programmes will be transformed into self-sustaining, privately owned enterprises, which have the potential to grow, accumulate assets and create employment.

6. Alternative and innovative financing options will be introduced to assist small entrepreneurs. Such options will include the establishment of local stock exchanges, small and medium business investment corporations, community development banks, the setting aside of a percentage of investment and insurance funds for venture capital and the establishment of micro-finance institutions.

7. A state lottery will be instituted immediately. The proceeds will be used to create jobs through new qualifying enterprises. This will generate employment opportunities, new savings, new business development and economic growth. All contracts with the participating enterprises will be terminated after a specified point of profitability has been achieved or a pre-determined period of time has elapsed.

8. The Marketable Securities Tax on investment in the Venture and Development capital markets of the JSE will be abolished to boost the depth and liquidity of these sectors, to facilitate the listing of more small companies, and to encourage the flow of foreign investor funds to these sectors.

9. The existing 25c levy on all banking transactions will be altered and enhanced to a low ad-valorum rate of 0.05%, which should generate additional revenue of at least R10 billion per annum.

10. A balanced globalisation policy will be introduced to rectify the job losses that have occurred as a result of policies that have distorted the South African market.

11. Labour laws will be reviewed to ensure a friendly labour code that will encourage job creation.

CIVIL ORDER
A UDM government will guarantee every citizen’s basic constitutional right to safety of person and property. The UDM recognises two realities. Firstly, the immediate, unacceptable crime situation must be addressed, and secondly, to ensure a long term solution to crime and violence. We, the citizens of South Africa must commit ourselves to a concerted, continuous effort to reform our society. We must do more than simply address the symptoms. We must also eradicate the causes of crime and violence. The biggest shortcomings are lack of co-ordination between agencies of the state and lack of visible policing. The following five steps must be introduced to stop the current unacceptable crime situation:

1. A Ministry of Civil Order must be established to stop the crime crisis in the country. The purpose of the MCO will be to co-ordinate the Ministries of Justice, Police, Correctional Services, National Intelligence and Defence. The MCO will set specific objectives and deadlines for the various ministries to achieve our goal of a crime-free society.

2. To ensure visible policing in metropolitan and urban areas, the number of police constables must be increased from 18 000 to 60 000. This will be done over a period of three years. The additional cost, including training and equipment, will be R2.4 billion per year. Special emphasis will be put on the training and professionalism of these constables.

3. To improve rural and border security, the Part Time Forces must be re-empowered, re-organised, and re-trained. The South African Army will be transformed into a disciplined, well-trained and professional force able to rapidly mobilise and expand when required.

4. An Organised Crime Task Force must be established to develop strategies that will effectively combat organised criminal activity. It will include Customs and Immigration, the South African Revenue Service, and the South African Reserve Bank.

5. The entire civil and criminal justice process must be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team of experts who will consider alternatives to the current system, such as the benefits of an inquisitorial versus those of the prosecutorial process. Other areas to be investigated are the following:

The establishment of a judicial academy
The granting of bail
The possible re-demarcation of magisterial districts
The use of Chiefs and Kgotla courts

CLEAN GOVERNANCE
The UDM will swiftly and mercilessly eradicate corruption in the government, recognising that those entrusted with upholding the law will not only be ineffective and mistrusted if they act outside it, but will gradually bring the whole institution into disrepute. By doing so, we will improve the morale, image and attitude of government officials and thereby, restore the public’s confidence in them. The following six points must be implemented to ensure clean governance:

1. Government servicesmust serve the people, not themselves. There shall be zero-tolerance for corruption and abuse of power.

2. Integrity, commitment and hard workare required from all in government (politicians and officials) as well as from all in the private sector.

3. A sense of pride in and ownership of government must be regenerated in all South Africans by establishing a new ethical framework of incorruptibility, accountability, transparency and impartiality in governance.

4. The best quality must be ensured in all appointments, from cabinet level downwards, so that merit, responsibility and integrity will be guaranteed. Those outside of politics will also be considered for appointment.

5. Effective proceduresmust be established to investigate and prosecute those in public and private sectors involved in corruption.

6. Independent anti- corruption task teams must be established in each province. They must have the necessary expertise to evaluate the level of corruption in a province and to immediately introduce recovery steps. It is essential that guilty officials are prosecuted and that a clear message is sent to the people of South Africa. Corruption will not be tolerated.

HOUSING
Recognising that ownership means dignity and economic empowerment, the UDM supports the constitutional right of every citizen to adequate housing. A UDM government will stamp out the corruption and mismanagement that contributes to the poor delivery of housing.
The UDM’s views are the following:

1. The housing subsidy should be increased on an annual basis to keep up with the inflation rate. The focus of subsidies should be on building new houses.

2. In order to boost the property market and to make it easier for first-time home-owners to acquire property, transfer duties on all property transactions will be reduced to 1% with full exemption for transactions below R100 000.

EDUCATION
World class people for a world class nation through world class education.
The UDM will create a system of education which focuses on proper administration to ensure quality teachers, timely delivery of text books and sufficient resources.
The UDM’s views are the following:

1. To achieve greater accountability, enhance community involvement in management and provide equitable distribution of resources, education and training facilities will be clustered in a geographical area. This will also encourage the integration of education and training.

2. Educator morale and professionalism will be encouraged with continuous incentives. In this regard, the teacher unions will be involved.

3. Bursaries and loans will be provided for students who qualify.

HEALTHCARE
A Healthy nation for a world class nation.
The UDM recognises that Primary Healthcare is an essential service which should prevent much suffering and financial hardship through timely and effective treatment. The UDM’s views are the following:

1.Primary Healthcare is currently dysfunctional due to outdated health laws that do not recognise the Primary Healthcare approach. A UDM government will immediately enact legislation to remedy this unacceptable situation.

2.Proper staffing, medication and equipment must always be available at community clinics.

3. Proper referral procedures to hospitals must be implemented for treatment which falls outside the ability of Primary Healthcare clinics.

4. By leaving Primary Healthcare responsibilities with community clinics, the level of service at hospitals will improve significantly.

5. Recognising that a large part of the population prefer traditional and alternative medicine, a UDM government will encourage research into these fields with the intention of incorporating and regulating that which proves to be helpful and valuable into the formal healthcare system.

GENDER EQUALITY
The UDM subscribes to the constitutional right to gender equality. The UDM’s views are the following:

1. Full participation of women in economic, social and political activities must be encouraged. A special effort will be made to empower single mothers through enterprise development.

2. To ensure that the women of South Africa enjoy freedom from abuse and violence, preventative education must be implemented, and harsh penalties must be brought against those guilty of violent crimes against women.

YOUTH
The UDM supports the youth of South Africa in their dreams for a better future. We also recognise their fears and concerns regarding education and employment. The youth especially requires hope for the future and it is exactly this responsibility that the UDM has addressed right from the start. Therefore our policies are aimed at not only creating a better today, but a better future as well.

PENSION AND WELFARE
The state has a social responsibility to look after the welfare of its citizens. A UDM government will handle this responsibility with care and rectify the current deplorable situation caused by mismanagement and corruption.

TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP
Under a UDM government, the constitutional provision regarding traditional leadership will be fully implemented, recognising the vital role this institution has to play in rural revitalisation, land ownership and civil order.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION
The UDM supports the constitutional right of every individual to equality before the law and to be protected from unfair discrimination. It is the duty of any government to uphold the human rights and equality of all its citizens. Therefore, a UDM government will tolerate absolutely no discrimination and/or harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation.

FOREIGN POLICY
Recognising that foreign policy affects our daily lives through trade investment and international partnerships, we will maximise foreign resources to bring welfare and happiness to all South Africans.
The UDM’s foreign policy is founded on the following four pillars:
1. The security of the South African state.
2. The happiness and welfare of all South Africans.
3. Respect for and the promotion of universal human rights, justice and democracy.
4. Establishing and maintaining professional standards of diplomatic excellence in dealing with the outside world.

RURAL REVITALISATION
The revitalisation of the rural areas of South Africa is of great concern to the UDM. To this end, the UDM will focus on specific key actions. Our views are the following:

• Research into new industries that will contribute to rural revitalisation must be encouraged. Some possible options include emerging and small commercial farmers, agri-villages and other enterprises.

• Agricultural, tourist and other development projects must be started and transformed into viable privately owned enterprises. This must be linked with innovative financing and access to

• Capital through community development banks, local stock exchanges and the combination of stokvels with First World banking expertise.

• The creation of infrastructure must be accelerated to assist in the economic growth of rural areas.

• The high rate of illiteracy in the rural areas must be rectified with active education programmes for children and adults.

• Food security, as a result of the above-mentioned actions, is one of the primary goals of the UDM’s rural revitalisation plan.

ENVIRONMENT
The UDM supports sustainable environmental development, meaning that the prosperity we create today must not leave future generations without useful resources. The UDM believes that, through the implementation of bio-diversity programmes, thousands of jobs can be created. The UDM believes that it is possible to generate opportunities for all whilst being environmentally responsible. The UDM’s views are the following:

• Tax incentives must be provided to the private sector and other institutions that invest in the development of technologies for conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity programmes.

• The massive number of environmental laws and regulations must immediately be consolidated into one concise and effective law.

THE RESTITUTION OF LAND
The UDM recognises the ability of land to create wealth and will respect reasonable land tenure rights, as well as reasonable land restitution claims. There are huge tracts of vacant and idle government land that can be sold. A UDM government will accelerate the sale of this land to generate funds, to encourage local ownership for emerging and small commercial farmers and to create jobs.

LANGUAGE RIGHTS
The UDM supports the equality of all languages and cultures as expressed by the South African constitution.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Legal immigrants can contribute greatly to enterprise development and economic growth and should be welcomed to this country. Failure by government to protect its citizens against unfair competition from illegal workers is unacceptable. Illegal immigration must be
dealt with in a humane but firm manner. The massive influx of the illegal immigrants reflects an economic imbalance in the subcontinent. Assertive policies of regional economic development and growth should be put in place.

THE ROLE OF PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERMENT
Good governance will be ensured at provincial and local level. To enhance competencies of these structures, these spheres of government will be empowered to take more responsibility and to develop their own sources of revenue in line with the subsidiarity-principle. This means the exercising of government at the lowest effective level.
The UDM regards local government as a key sphere of government. It is in the best position to address the needs of local communities, create local infrastructure and deliver cost-effective services.

DEATH PENALTY
In the light of the constitutional court’s judgement on the death penalty and the sensitivity of this issue, the only way to reintroduce the death penalty is through a constitutional amendment. A UDM government will immediately hold a referendum on this issue, so that every South African will be granted the democratic right to make her or his own choice.

ABORTION
The UDM favours a referendum on abortion and, if necessary, the constitution will be amended. The UDM will promote the democratic right of every individual to make her or his own choice regarding this sensitive issue, independently from party-political agendas and electioneering.

AIDS
The fight against AIDS is the responsibility of every South African. The UDM recognises this horrible disease as the most serious threat to Africa. Funding must be made available for credible research and the development of preventative measures. Education must emphasise the responsibility that goes with a sexual relationship and the vulnerability of every individual in this regard. Every effort and resource must be applied to the prevention of and the fight against this disease.

UNIONS
The UDM will promote the independence of unions from formal political alliance so that workers can play a more meaningful and critical role in their government, business and party political relations. Trade unions must recognise and respect the right of their members to affiliate with the political party of her or his choice.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
The UDM supports employment equity that is applied in a responsible manner. The UDM will review aspects of labour legislation that discourage job creation.

GANGSTERISM AND VIGILANTISM
Gangsterism and organised crime must be rooted out swiftly and mercilessly, or else frustrated people will resort to vigilantism. Vigilantism will not be tolerated, and it will not be necessary under a UDM government. We will provide 42 000 new constables for the express purpose of visible policing. To combat organised criminal activity and vigilantism, an Organised Crime Task Force will be established.

RURAL SECURITY
The UDM is appalled by the senseless acts of violence in previously peaceful rural areas. The UDM will re-empower, re-organise and re-train the Part Time Forces. These Part Time Forces will assist with the effective implementation of rural security.

GUN OWNERSHIP
The UDM will work actively to stop the proliferation of small arms in the Southern African region and within our country. A UDM government will make it possible for responsible citizens to own guns whilst criminals do not. This can be achieved with a renewal licensing system and with regular individual testing.

PARTY ALLIANCES FOR THE '99 ELECTION
The UDM was launched to establish a viable alternative. Our vision is to serve the long-term interests of the country through strong opposition and true multi-party competition. We are not interested in short-term opportunism and election deals which would be counter-productive to our long-term vision. Therefore, the UDM has decided not to enter into any form of alliance or coalition with other political parties for the 1999 election.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
The constitution of South Africa is a living document. We are all the custodians of this constitution and, therefore, the content should be promoted and taught to all South Africans. This will ensure true multi-party democracy and responsible reform of the constitution. The UDM will support constitutional reform aimed at entrenching multi-party democracy. Such reforms include the following:

• The constitution must be amended to allow Members of Parliament to change their party affiliation.

• The principle in the constitution of a separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary must be implemented and adhered to.

• A balanced electoral system that will ensure greater accountability and representativity must be developed and implemented.

GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS
The UDM will not govern by commission. Therefore, all existing commissions will be evaluated and the number of these commissions will be reduced.

- an election flyer -

THE UDM SUPPORTS COMMUTERS

The price hike is the direct result of the ANC government’s hasty sale of South African oil. Last year, the government sold 25 million barrels of oil at far below the market price. This amount of oil could have sustained us through times of international price inflation. Instead it was sacrificed for pitiful short-term gain, of which we have not seen the benefits.

South Africans, who are already struggling in a poor economy, have now seen the cost of fuel skyrocket by 22 cents per litre in the past 6 weeks, and the government is predicting further increases.

The increased fuel cost is most affecting those who can afford it the least, thereby widening the gap between the Haves and the Have-nots. The price hike clearly indicates how out of touch the ANC government is with the needs of the people.

Because of the zoning and housing laws of the apartheid era, many South Africans must now travel long distances for employment. Ironically, the ANC government, which so often blames its failures on its predecessors, is now perpetuating the legacy of apartheid through the tax on fuel.

The UDM extends its support to the taxi associations and the commuters of South Africa. Our manifesto clearly states that when in power, we will immediately abolish the tax on fuel. The loss in state income will be recovered through an enhanced low ad-valorum rate of 0.05% levy on all banking transactions.

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