BY THOBILE JIWULANE:
The United Democratic Front has rejected allegations and rumours that it will contest the upcoming local government elections, stating clearly that it will, in fact, not participate in the elections at all.
UDF also vehemently denied that it held a meeting with the civil society advocacy movement, March and March, adding that no such meeting occurred whatsoever.
This after the UDF’s leadership this week received calls from three separate media houses asking about the rumours. It responded publicly to reject the reports and rumours, calling them “unfounded” and “misinformation”.
“The UDF General Council resolved that the Organisation shall not in any way or fashion participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections scheduled for 4 November 2026. Any statements or allegations to the contrary are unfounded and the organisation wishes to distance itself from this unfounded rumour and misinformation. The UDF aren’t hosting any event related to the 43rd Anniversary of the Movement in the Gauteng Province and, we distance ourselves from any person or entity which claims to be raising funds for the UDF, funds earmarked for the National 43rd Anniversary Event,” Jo Mboweni, UDF National Convener, said.
He said it is true that the UDF did meet with various Civic Organisations, Church Leaders, Traditional Leaders, Professional Leaders and Independent Professionals as well, with four registered Political Formations, at which meetings it placed on the record that the Organisation was not going to participate in any form in the upcoming Local Government Elections but may register with the IEC to prepare themselves and to participate in the Provincial and the National Democratic Elections presently scheduled for 2029.
“The UDF never met with the March to March Movement and whilst we respect the said organisation’s rights to associate and to set their own objectives, we do not have any relationship whatsoever with this organisation or any of its leaders or structures and funders,” Mboweni said.
Mboweni insisted that it be placed on the record that the UDF is not even interested in knowing how and by whom the said organisation is funded or how they arrive at their organisational resolutions.
Juliet Diratsagae, Head of the UDF Secretariat, is quoted as admitting that for reasons only known to the UDF, the organisation preferred to shy away from the public media and opted instead to participate constructively in the organisation’s agenda of promoting Active Citizenry, seeking Accountability from all Public and the Private Sectors and promoting the Transformation Agenda through Collaborations. – @NewsSA_Online
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