COFFEE BAY– The United Democratic Movement (UDM) President Major General (Retired) Bantu Holomisa has called for stronger accountability, ethical leadership and urgent action to address corruption and service delivery failures, warning that these challenges continue to undermine South Africa’s development.
Holomisa was speaking at kwaTshezi near Coffee Bay on 08 January 2025, where he commended local residents for rejecting one-party dominance, saying their choices had helped safeguard democracy and ensured leaders remained accountable to the people.
He acknowledged serious challenges within the Department of Defence but said law-enforcement and oversight bodies, including the Hawks, the Auditor-General, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Military Police, were working together to restore integrity.
Holomisa confirmed that an irregular Armscor tender had been stopped in 2025 and that further investigations were under way.
According to Holomisa, corruption has had a direct impact on infrastructure collapse and poor service delivery, leaving many communities without reliable roads, water supply, healthcare facilities and digital connectivity. Turning to local concerns, he criticised the failure to deliver promised water from the Mthatha Dam to Coffee Bay and raised alarm over the continued deterioration of roads linking Coffee Bay, Elliotdale and the N2.
He further said the poor state of these roads was harming tourism and stalling economic development in the area.
“These roads remain in a state of severe disrepair, yet they lead to important tourism centres,” Holomisa emphasised.
He called on communities, traditional leaders and civil society organisations to act collectively in holding authorities to account.
“This must not be a talk shop, it must demand clear commitments and timelines,” he said.
Holomisa concluded by saying the demands of the KwaTshezi community were reasonable, stressing that residents were not asking for miracles, but for honesty, accountability and decisive action from those in power.
Photographs: supplied
