United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa says he is prepared to stand as his party’s Premier candidate for the Eastern Cape.
Holomisa has been addressing the business community in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. He says he has been approached by traditional leaders, church organisations and the business people to stand as the Premier candidate.
Holomisa says this call reminds him when Madiba once called on him to return back to the ANC, he said he would like to immediately redeploy him to become the premier of the Eastern Cape.
The UDM leader says he told the residents, the chiefs, business people and the religious leaders in the area that “yes I have no objection to come and become the Premier of the Eastern Cape, but for now the concentration must on campaigning and getting more votes and then if we do well in the forthcoming election, the national executive committee have already indicated that there will be no problem in redeploying people to go to other places”, says Holomisa.
Former Congress of the People leader Mbazima Shilowa recently announced that he, together with his supporters, will be campaigning for the UDM in the upcoming general elections.
The decision was apparently taken at a summit which was attended by more than 800 delegates representing COPE branches from eight provinces in Bloemfontein.
The branches claim to have been side-lined in the build up to COPE’s recent national congress. Holomisa says processes towards full integration are underway.
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