Accept ANC's split - Holomisa

2008-10-05 16:13

Cape Town - The leaders of the African National Congress had to accept that their party had finally split, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said on Sunday.

"The new ANC leadership need to swallow their pride and accept that the hour has arrived," he said in the text of a speech to be delivered in George at a ceremony welcoming new UDM members.

"The ANC of yesteryear, the much-vaunted 'broad church' is now split into two."

His remarks come amid persistent reports that disgruntled members of the ruling party are planning to break away and establish a new political formation.

Coalition governments

Holomisa said it might be wise after next year's general election for all parties and South Africans interested in changing the political landscape to meet "and begin the discussion of how we can compete as an alternative government in the 2014 elections".

"In the meantime there would be no harm for us to talk after the election about forming coalition governments wherever our combined support outstrips the ANC," he said.

South Africa did not deserve a one-party state, and certainly did not deserve to be governed by "ANC puppets controlled by communists who don't even have the guts to participate in elections".

- SAPA