ADDRESS AT THE FEDERAL COUNCIL AT MOTSWEDI

SATURDAY, 18 MAY 2013

We have a full programme for today but there are some issues I want to highlight.

The ongoing tussle between the party and the former leader is not only delaying our progress but also derailing the positioning of the UCDP in the mainstream politics of the country. Until the issue is put to rest, which we hope will be sooner than later, this party will consistently be regarded as a tribal, ethnic or at best provincial party. This has to stop. The constitution of the party sets it as a national institution to which people regardless of race, colour, creed or gender should belong.

The clause on equal opportunity says it all. All people, all areas, all provinces should have an equal opportunity to host, to be elected to whichever position they qualify and be treated as equals in the party. No area or people should be accorded a status higher and better than others. Equal opportunity does not mean displacing, sidelining, expelling or making life difficult for some to place favourites in positions those affected have been elected to.

There going on around us. Miners at Marikana are at one another’s throats. Incidents of rape are coming to haunt us; our people are nonchalant to these issues. The slogan: “Standing up, speaking out and taking risks” seems to be reserved for our papers not even our meetings. We must be heard saying this on an on. On Friday, there was a gathering where the province met to speak out against rape on our daughters, mothers, wives, sisters and grandmothers but this Christian party was conspicuous by their absence from that meeting notwithstanding that an invitation was extended to us and we had a slot on the programme of the day. This is unacceptable.

Members of a Christian Democratic party have to stand up and be vocal against the intended legalisation of sex workers. What has become of the moral values of this country? We should not allow a licentious society to have a field day while we remain with arms folded. This practice should not be allowed to see the shine of day. This we should do for the good of our children!

The UCDP has a problem with the retention of Youth Leaders. This is a common phenomenon from its days of inception. No Youth Leader, except for one who ran the full distance as president of the league. We are again in a situation where the course of the party has been sacrificed on the altar of opportunism and greed. Mr Monyadiwa o nyaragantse Youth League for greener pastures, in his language but call on him and tell him that monna o nkgang o nkga le ditsagagwe.

I want to call on our youths to lend themselves to entrepreneurship. Start your own thing. Visit SEDA for advice. The NYDA will in the near future start dishing free money to youth entrepreneurs. Stand up in that queue and speak out that you are a youth and you deserve funding. Start a business and nurture it.

We started last year pledging that we should have at least 75 000 registered members by the end of this year; while we targeted 100 000 votes nationally in 2014. There is need for more elected representatives in all ten legislatures of South Africa.

The national leaders and regional leaders cannot and will not be able to ransack the whole South Africa to recruit voters if not members. We need volunteers who will say:

“Re tla le fufulelelwa, sethitho se fetoge madi.”

Political parties are in continuous discussions and some even fold into others. The UCDP, the ne’er say die party, Magana- go- swa, has been in discussion with some. This will be elaborated on during the programme. One thing sure in all these, we, your servant leaders are cognisant of the fact that all you need is purity.

The least said about the Guptagate and the government, the better. We shall debate this mater in parliament on Wednesday where we shall speak out.

The NEC is mindful of the long awaited Strategic Planning meeting. I must also point out here that some very senior members of this party, leading the province and regions had called for postponement of the Bosberaad on 07 December 2012, stating that the date was inconvenient; this was said and done after the Federal Council had endorsed the holding of the Bosberaad. Please bagaetsho don’t lead us into temptation and then scorn us at shebeens and taxi ranks.

I miss the voices of these self appointed advocates of good as far the intended renaming of the North West province is concerned. Let us stand up and speak out on this matter today.

We have run our course as your servant leaders and 2013 begs for elections of new leaders so that we may usher in the amended constitution.

This has to happen before the General Elections in 2014 to give the newly elected leaders time to get their act together and run the elections.

Participate in deliberations le phuthulogile.

I thank you