EAST LONDON, Eastern Cape — As the highly anticipated Eastern Cape elections draw near, the UDM and ATM are positioning themselves as the primary catalysts for political change in the province’s most fiercely contested municipalities. With the official voting schedule set to be proclaimed today, both opposition factions have unveiled comprehensive manifestos aimed at dismantling entrenched corruption and reviving stalled service delivery.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosi Hlabisa is expected to announce the exact date for the local government polls today. This proclamation serves as the starting gun for intense campaigning, particularly in the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay metros, which political analysts predict will be the epicenter of electoral friction.
Setting the tone for the battle ahead, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) recently hosted their respective manifesto launches in KuGompo City. Both organizations built their platforms on a shared premise: provincial municipalities have abandoned the rule of law, resulting in a catastrophic failure to provide basic services to communities. By leveraging these core governance failures, the parties intend to hold the national government accountable and halt the looting of state funds.
UDM Pledges Consequence Management and Basic Services
For the UDM, the campaign hinges on a promise of strict consequence management and the restoration of basic human dignities. Party president Bantu Holomisa painted a grim picture of the current local governance landscape, arguing that administrative collapse is directly tied to the theft of public funds.
“No municipality can succeed if residents do not have reliable access to water, sanitation, electricity, roads, [and] refuse removal,” Holomisa told supporters, emphasizing the absolute necessity of functioning public infrastructure. He identified “clean governance and financial discipline” as the party’s second core pillar, warning that “corruption, maladministration, and wasteful expenditure are stealing the resources that should be improving the lives of our people.”
The rhetoric resonated deeply with the UDM base, who voiced acute frustrations over joblessness, a lack of RDP housing, and missing food parcels. Expressing strong loyalty to “the general,” supporters emphasized the need for internal party unity. They cautioned members against prioritizing personal image or jockeying for higher positions, urging instead a collective push to maximize the party’s municipal seat count in the upcoming Eastern Cape elections.
ATM Focuses on Constitutional Adherence and Accountability
Taking a different strategic approach, the ATM is leaning into its reputation as a fierce parliamentary watchdog. The party argues that its history of challenging state capture and executive overreach makes it the only viable option for constitutionally sound leadership.
ATM Parliamentary Leader Vuyo Zungula anchored his pitch on strict legal adherence. “People must vote ATM knowing very well that there’s a constitution in our country, and we must be guided by that constitution,” Zungula declared.
Referencing the party’s high-profile involvement in national budget debates and the Phala Phala controversy, Zungula criticized current local councils for ignoring the Municipal Structures Act. His promise to voters was unequivocal: an ATM administration will “follow the law to the letter.”
ATM faithful expressed immense confidence in Zungula, praising him as a rare voice of reason in parliament who genuinely advocates for the youth and the broader South African public. For these voters, the current national government has proven apathetic to citizen welfare, making the ATM’s pledge of transparency and accountability highly appealing.
Looking Ahead to the Ballot
As the campaign trail heats up, both the UDM and ATM are preparing to solidify their electoral rosters. The parties will soon reveal their mayoral candidates, with the UDM scheduled to finalize its Eastern Cape provincial lists during a special conference this weekend.
