Not a lot is written about General Holomisa! Except when his fame came about when he overthrew Stella Sigcawu, who was the Prime Minister of the then Transkei homeland during the late 80’s. Holomisa accused Stella Sigcawu of corruption, claiming that she received bribes in order to give licenses for gambling rights.
Serious questions need to be asked: Who was really behind that coup de tat? In most parts of the world, when an unelected government takes power, it is mostly scorned upon. We don’t get much of that when Holomisa overthrows a legitimately elected government. I wonder why not.
After he was fired by ANC in 1996, Holomisa together with Roel Meyer the former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development under apartheid government of FW De Kerk, they started a political party called UDM. Political party killings started between UDM and ANC members, the same way that killings happened between IFP and ANC members. Black on Black Violance. If you closely read what happened, you will find a lot of similarities in the way right wing and the progressive forces relate to Holomisa and the way they related to the late Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
In 2006, UDM was instrumental in ousting the ANC in the City of Cape Town in 2006, and ever since, ANC never really recovered from those losses.
Now, we are told of how Holomisa was part of a plot to influence the late Deputy President David Mabuza such that he can betray what was known at the time as a radical grouping within the ANC (Premier League) to choose the perceived progressive caucus of the CR17.
During local elections in 2024, Holomisa’s UDM, together with other small parties, formed a progressive caucus. Not so long after they formed the progressive caucus, we later learned that He has dumped the progressive caucus to join what is today known as the Government of National Unity.
Holomisa has distinguished himself as an anti corruption crusader. He started from his expulsion in 1996 in the ANC, when he blew a whistle about the corrupt relationship between ANC and Sol Kerzner. He was very vocal about ANC corruption during Jacob Zuma tenure.
A lot has been reported about corruption that is happening in this administration of the Government of National Unity. The latest being the explosive media briefing by Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, where he alleged that there is a syndicate involving police, judiciary, and parliamentarians involved in corrupt activities and drug smuggling, we haven’t really heard a comment from the general. Since he joined the government as a deputy minister of defense, he has since gone dead silent.
Who is this General Bantu Holomisa?
Opinion by Khaya
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