United Democratic Movement

This article is about the South African political party. For the political party in Kenya, see United Democratic Movement (Kenya). For the anti-Apartheid organisation, see United Democratic Front (South Africa).

United Democratic Movement
AbbreviationUDM
PresidentBantu Holomisa
Secretary-GeneralYongama Zigebe
ChairpersonBongani Msomi
Deputy PresidentNqabayomzi Kwankwa
FounderBantu Holomisa & Roelf Meyers
Founded27 September 1997 (1997-09-27)
Split fromAfrican National Congress
HeadquartersGround Floor
CPA House
101 Du Toit Street
Pretoria
Gauteng
Student wingUnited Democratic Students' Movement
Youth wingUnited Democratic Movement Youth Vanguard
Women's wingUnited Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation
IdeologySocial democracy
Political positionCentre-left
Colours  Yellow
  Green
  Red
National Assembly seats
3 / 400
NCOP seats
1 / 90
Provincial Legislatures
3 / 487
Cape Town City Council
1 / 231
Party flag
Website
udm.org.za

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is a centre-left, social-democratic, South African political party, formed by a prominent former National Party leader, Roelf Meyer (who has since resigned from the UDM), a former African National Congress and Transkei homeland leader, General Bantu Holomisa, and a former ANC Executive Committee member, John Taylor. It has an anti-separatist, pro-diversity platform; and supports an individualist South Africa with a strong moral sense, in both social and economic senses.

Mongameli Bobani was the Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality from 2018 to 2019 and the first mayor from the UDM since the party governed King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality (2000-2002).

In the 2024 general election, UDM got three seats with 0.49% of the vote in Parliament (National Assembly).[1]

In June 2024, United Democratic Movement agreed to join the ANC-led government of national unity (GNU).[2] Leader of the UDM, Bantubonke ‘Bantu’ Holomisa, became the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans in the Government of National Unity.[3]

  1. ^ "Election Results and Allocation of Seats in Parliament (National Assembly) and Provincial Legislatures: 2024". pmg.org.za/. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  2. ^ "ANC WELCOMES POLITICAL PARTIES TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY – ANC".
  3. ^ Admin, U. D. M. "Bantu Holomisa Résumé". United Democratic Movement | UDM.