Cape Town – United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa took a shot at the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Sunday over his calls for a “moonshot pact”.
Holomisa is one of three invited parties that have rejected the DA’s call for opposition parties to put aside their differences and join forces to unseat the ANC at the 2024 national elections and to prevent a “doomsday coalition” between the ANC and the EFF.
According to EWN, Holomisa dismissed Steenhuisen’s calls as poor politics and that they didn’t “need any boss to direct other parties”.
On Saturday, Steenhuisen revealed in an address broadcast live on the party’s social media platforms that five political party leaders had thus far agreed to work towards a “moonshot pact” with his party.
The following are the five leaders who agreed to attend a Moonshot Pact National Convention:
- Velenkosini Hlabisa from the IFP;
- Herman Mashaba from ActionSA
- Ahmed Shaik Imam from the National Freedom Party
- Pieter Groenewald from the Freedom Front Plus
- Neil de Beer from the United Independent Movement
Steenhuisen said that invitations to join the pact were sent to 15 organisations and potential partners, excluding those “who are aligned to the ANC and EFF”.
He said that the Bantu Holomisa as well as ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe and Xiluva’s Bongani Baloyi had rejected the call.
Holomisa said, according to EWN: “John Steenhuisen must be guided and taught a little of politics on how to deal with leaders of other political parties. The issues he is introducing don’t need any boss to direct other parties.
“We are not subscribing to the DA, we are not appendages of the DA nor are we branches of the DA so if he is interested in discussing these matters with us, he must come to our forum of the opposition and table that on the agenda.”
He also said in a statement that “if the DA wants to be treated seriously, the only route to follow is where an independent facilitator is appointed, and all parties are treated as equal contributors to the process”.
#MoonshotPact: The UDM won’t be bought.
If the DA wants to be treated seriously, the only route to follow is where an independent facilitator is appointed, and all parties are treated as equal contributors to the process. pic.twitter.com/ziHFpLNYGn
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) April 16, 2023
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
