The United Democratic Movement has shelved its regional conferences until after the party’s much-awaited national congress, amid disputes from some branches.The UDM’s national leaders instructed the Amathole district to postpone its regional conference, which was supposed to have been convened last weekend.
UDM president Bantu Holomisa yesterday told the Daily Dispatch that the party had requested that the conference be postponed and convened after the national congress.
“We had to postpone the Amathole district conference because we had disputes from branches in Willowvale and Ngamakhwe,” Holomisa said.
“If the disputes were lodged earlier, at least there would have been time to deal with them, but now there isn’t.
“Immediately after the national congress, they can sit ....”
Holomisa said the disputes had emerged during a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting last week.
Last month, the Dispatch reported on divisions that had surfaced in the OR Tambo region, the party’s biggest in the country. The cracks emerged after the PEC failed to recognise the region’s conference outcomes. At the time UDM provincial secretary Wandile Tsipa derided the conference as a “get-together of comrades”.
Tsipa said the OR Tambo conference was not sanctioned by the PEC or by the party’s national office.
The Dispatch reported that the status of some of the branches was at the heart of the problem in the region.
The party’s fifth national congress is expected to be convened at the University of Free State this weekend. More than 1600 delegates are expected to attend.
“We are still sorting out transport logistics. The Eastern Cape is still the backbone of the organisation and there should be more than 400 branches from the province,” Holomisa said.
In an interview with the Dispatch last week, the party’s secretary-general, Bongani Msomi, said an official announcement on contesting candidates would be made on the second day of the congress, December 12.
Yesterday, the party released one of its discussion documents, “State of the Nation”, to be tabled at the congress.
In it Holomisa says: “A lot has been done...to change the political, social and economic landscape for the better. It is true that much has been accomplished, but – for instance – when the ANC government claims to have built more houses, they should admit that more people have badly built houses.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za
UDM delays conferences
The UDM’s national leaders instructed the Amathole district to postpone its regional conference, which was supposed to have been convened last weekend.
UDM president Bantu Holomisa yesterday told the Daily Dispatch that the party had requested that the conference be postponed and convened after the national congress.
“We had to postpone the Amathole district conference because we had disputes from branches in Willowvale and Ngamakhwe,” Holomisa said.
“If the disputes were lodged earlier, at least there would have been time to deal with them, but now there isn’t.
“Immediately after the national congress, they can sit ....”
Holomisa said the disputes had emerged during a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting last week.
Last month, the Dispatch reported on divisions that had surfaced in the OR Tambo region, the party’s biggest in the country. The cracks emerged after the PEC failed to recognise the region’s conference outcomes. At the time UDM provincial secretary Wandile Tsipa derided the conference as a “get-together of comrades”.
Tsipa said the OR Tambo conference was not sanctioned by the PEC or by the party’s national office.
The Dispatch reported that the status of some of the branches was at the heart of the problem in the region.
The party’s fifth national congress is expected to be convened at the University of Free State this weekend. More than 1600 delegates are expected to attend.
“We are still sorting out transport logistics. The Eastern Cape is still the backbone of the organisation and there should be more than 400 branches from the province,” Holomisa said.
In an interview with the Dispatch last week, the party’s secretary-general, Bongani Msomi, said an official announcement on contesting candidates would be made on the second day of the congress, December 12.
Yesterday, the party released one of its discussion documents, “State of the Nation”, to be tabled at the congress.
In it Holomisa says: “A lot has been done...to change the political, social and economic landscape for the better. It is true that much has been accomplished, but – for instance – when the ANC government claims to have built more houses, they should admit that more people have badly built houses.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos