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.
The Core Values, which the United Democratic Movement will uphold and promote and upon which its fundamental policy positions are based, are as follow : respect for life, dignity and human worth of every individual; integrity in public- and private life; the individual rights and freedoms enshrined in our Country’s Constitution;
President of the UDM
Major General (Retired) Bantubonke ‘Bantu’ Holomisa co-founded the United Democratic Movement (UDM) on 27 September 1997, and serves as its elected President, which in 2022 celebrated its 25th year of existence. He was again elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections and was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans in the Government of National Unity in the 7th Administration in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
He was the Commander of the Transkei Defence Force and Head of the Transkei Government (former independent homeland from 1987 to 1994) up to the first National Elections in South Africa in 1994. He was one of the first two black persons accepted by the South African Army College to do a one-year senior staff course for officers in 1984.
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The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has worked diligently to promote the interests of all South Africans over the years. Despite the challenges and stumbling blocks the party rose to the occasion and scored many political victories. Our successes are manifested in our public representation at various levels of government across the country, but also in the influence we have had irrespective of the ruling party’s parliamentary majority.
The UDM’s vision is to be “…the political home of all South Africans, united in the spirit of South Africanism by our common passion for our Country, mobilising the creative power inherent in our rich diversity, towards our transformation into a Winning Nation”.
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17 Jul, 2026
Statement by President of the United Democratic Movement, Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa, MP The United Democratic Movement and our President, Major General (Ret) Bantu Holomisa, extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of the two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who tragically lost their lives after falling into an abandoned mineshaft during an operation against illegal mining. We also convey our deepest sympathies to the Chief of the SANDF, the broader defence community and all those mourning this devastating loss. The deaths of these two soldiers are a painful reminder of the dangers faced by the men and women entrusted with serving and protecting the Republic. Their dedication and sacrifice in the service of South Africa will not be forgotten. This tragedy also draws renewed attention to the serious dangers associated with illegal mining and the continued existence of unsecured and abandoned mine shafts across the country. Illegal mining is not a victimless crime. It endangers surrounding communities, undermines the rule of law, damages the environment and enables organised criminal networks. It also exposes members of the SANDF, the South African Police Service and other security personnel to extremely hazardous conditions. The UDM strongly condemns illegal mining and the criminal syndicates that organise, finance and profit from it. These networks must be identified, investigated and dismantled through coordinated and sustained law enforcement action. The UDM calls for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident and urges all relevant authorities to accelerate efforts to identify, secure and rehabilitate abandoned mineshafts to prevent further loss of life among security personnel and civilians alike. Greater cooperation is required between mining companies and the departments responsible for mineral resources, defence, policing, local government and environmental management. Mining companies must also be held accountable for properly securing and rehabilitating disused mining infrastructure. South Africa cannot allow abandoned mineshafts to remain accessible to criminal enterprises while posing a continuing danger to communities and those entrusted with enforcing the law. The UDM honours the memory of the two fallen soldiers and extends its support and deepest sympathies to their families, the SANDF and the entire defence community during this time of grief. May their courage, dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire all South Africans. May their souls rest in eternal peace.
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17 Jul, 2026
Statement by Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP, UDM Deputy President and Leader in Parliament As South Africa observes Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July 2026, we remember former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela with the respect due to a departed elder and former Head of State. Nelson Mandela Day should, however, be more than an annual exercise in praise or symbolism. It should be a call to service, reflection and honest engagement with the condition of our country. President Mandela’s legacy remains the subject of two broad schools of thought. Many South Africans regard him as a central figure in the struggle against apartheid, a leader who helped guide the country through a dangerous political transition and who contributed to the establishment of a democratic constitutional order. Others believe that the political settlement reached during that period did not sufficiently transform the economic structure of the country, and that too many of the inequalities created under apartheid were allowed to continue. For many black South Africans who remain landless, unemployed, poor and excluded from economic opportunity, these concerns are neither abstract nor disrespectful. They arise from the realities of their daily lives. A mature democracy must be able to acknowledge both perspectives. We should neither dismiss President Mandela’s contribution nor pretend that the democratic transition resolved the structural injustices that continue to confront our people. United Democratic Movement (UDM) President Bantu Holomisa shared a deep relationship of trust with President Mandela. That relationship was built during a difficult period in our country’s history and was founded on frank engagement, mutual respect and a shared concern for South Africa’s future. Respect for President Mandela’s memory must therefore include the honesty that characterised relationships of that nature, rather than reducing his life and legacy to empty ceremony. Nelson Mandela Day should remind those who hold public office that leadership is not about personal enrichment, privilege or public performance. It is about service, integrity and responsibility to the people. South Africa continues to face deep poverty, unemployment, inequality, failing public services, crime and widespread disillusionment with political leadership. These conditions cannot be addressed through 67 minutes of activity once a year. They require sustained work, accountable government and the courage to confront the unfinished business of our democracy. The UDM calls upon South Africans to use this day to serve their communities, assist the vulnerable, care for the elderly, support young people and contribute to the restoration of dignity in the places where they live. As we remember President Mandela, may we do so respectfully, honestly and without mythmaking. May his soul continue to rest in peace, and may Nelson Mandela Day inspire a renewed commitment to building a just, equal and accountable South Africa.
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05 Jul, 2026
Statement by Mr Dumisani Khumalo, UDM National Deputy Organiser and Chairperson of the United Democratic Movement in the UThukela Region The United Democratic Movement in the UThukela Region has received with sadness the news of the sudden passing of Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, an African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Task Team member in KwaZulu-Natal, a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, and former Mayor of the Newcastle Local Municipality. Dr Mahlaba reportedly died after a vehicle knocked him down while he was jogging in Newcastle on Saturday morning. Reports further indicate that the police are investigating a case of culpable homicide following his death. On behalf of the UDM in the UThukela Region, I extend sincere condolences to Dr Mahlaba’s wife, children, family, friends, colleagues, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, and the communities who knew and worked with him. Dr Mahlaba’s passing is a tragic loss. He was taken before his time, at an age when he still had much to offer his family, his community and public life in KwaZulu-Natal. No family should have to face such a sudden and painful loss, and our thoughts are with those closest to him as they come to terms with this tragedy. The UDM in the UThukela Region further notes that, in KwaZulu-Natal, any sudden death of a political figure lands in a province with a deeply painful and tragic history of political violence, intimidation and political killings. This is not to prejudge the circumstances of Dr Mahlaba’s death, which are for the police to investigate. It is to recognise the hurt, fear and painful memories that such news can awaken in communities that have lived through political bloodshed for many years. At a moment such as this, politics must give way to humanity. KwaZulu-Natal has known too much political violence and too many political killings. While no one should speculate about the circumstances of Dr Mahlaba’s death, the matter must be investigated thoroughly, transparently and without delay. His family and the public deserve clarity, and his passing must not be reduced to rumour, factional talk or political point-scoring. The UDM in the UThukela Region joins the people of Newcastle, Amajuba, UThukela and KwaZulu-Natal in mourning this sudden loss. May Dr Mahlaba’s family find strength during this difficult time, and may his soul rest in peace.
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04 Jul, 2026
Statement by Ms Bulelwa Zondeka, Chairperson of the United Democratic Movement in the Western Cape The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Western Cape notes the arrest of five suspects following the reported discovery of an illegal alcohol manufacturing operation in Gugulethu, where police allegedly found chemicals, bottles, labels, packaging material and equipment used in the production of illicit alcohol. The UDM in the Western Cape welcomes this police action. Illegal and counterfeit alcohol is not a minor offence. It places lives at risk, avoids regulation, undermines lawful traders and feeds a wider alcohol economy that already causes serious damage in many Western Cape communities. This matter must not be treated as an isolated Gugulethu incident. Reports of counterfeit and illicit alcohol operations in areas such as Eerste River and Paarl show that illegal alcohol production and distribution in the province is organised, profitable and dangerous. These operations do not only break the law. They put unsafe products into communities that are already struggling with alcohol-related harm. The Western Cape has a long and painful relationship with alcohol misuse. The damage is visible in household poverty, domestic violence, road crashes, trauma units, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, school dropouts, crime and the weakening of family life. In many communities, alcohol abuse is not only a personal problem. It is tied to unemployment, despair, overcrowding, violence, poor access to treatment and the absence of safe social spaces, especially for young people. This is also a rural and farmworker issue. The old dop-system, where farmworkers were partly paid in alcohol, is illegal and may no longer exist in its crude historical form on most farms. However, the legacy of that system has not disappeared. Alcohol dependency, poverty, poor living conditions and the historic use of alcohol as a tool of control have left deep scars in many farming communities. The UDM in the Western Cape therefore calls for a serious provincial response that deals with both enforcement and social conditions. The South African Police Service, the Western Cape Liquor Authority, the South African Revenue Service, municipalities and health authorities must work together to trace illegal supply chains, shut down counterfeit operations, act against corrupt facilitation and protect communities from unsafe alcohol. At the same time, the Western Cape provincial government must confront the social roots of alcohol abuse. Poverty, unemployment, trauma, weak recreational facilities, poor access to rehabilitation services and the historic exploitation of farmworkers cannot be policed away. Communities need visible enforcement, but they also need treatment services, family support, youth programmes, safer public spaces and proper oversight of alcohol outlets. The UDM in the Western Cape further calls for a focused investigation into alcohol harm in farming communities, including whether any form of the dop-system, informal alcohol inducement or alcohol-linked labour control still exists. Farmworkers must not be trapped in conditions where poverty, dependency and substance abuse are normalised. The Gugulethu bust is a warning. The Western Cape cannot allow illegal alcohol factories, counterfeit alcohol networks, unregulated alcohol outlets and old patterns of exploitation to operate while communities carry the damage. Alcohol policy must protect people first, especially children, women, farmworkers and poor households who carry the heaviest burden.
