MALAMULELE - The President of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) General Bantu Holomisa paid a visit to the traditional leaders in Malamulele and some areas of Venda last week. More than 5 000 people attended in support of their traditional leaders.

On his four-day visit, which started from Sunday last week to Wednesday, Holomisa lashed out at the ANC-led government on the issue of the arms deal and HIV/Aids, crime, the lack of employment and the alarming crime rate.

Holomisa said the country was losing investors because the government was failing to curb crime. He said business sectors were robbed everyday, which prevents investors to come and invest in the country. He said it was about time that South Africans realised that the government was doing little to cater for the poor who were getting poorer day by day, "when the ANC members were enriching themselves, while the people who fought for liberation were undermined as they were getting nothing."

"Look, the government gives the falling of the rand as an excuse for their failure to deliver. Many people are armed with different qualifications, but they are jobless even though they were promised jobs when they voted in 1994 and 2000. Some of them have been unemployed for the past seven years. When are they going to be employed? What they are facing is hunger and poverty in their daily lives as many of them go to bed without food" said Holomisa.

Holomisa said the most affected areas were the rural areas as the ANC failed to implement the rural development policies. "What makes me angry is that Mbeki and his lieutenants are aware that people are jobless and they understand the concept "jobless" but they do not know how to address the problem as long as they are filling their own pockets.

"According to me, people do not need one or two roomed RDP houses, all what they need are jobs so that they can build houses of their choice. Before the ANC came into power, these people were not sleeping outside, so give them jobs so that they can address their needs," said Holomisa.

Holomisa said ANC members are awarding tenders to their friends, which necessitates a serious investigation into the whole tendering process. He also lashed at Mr Trevor Manuel's budget, which he said only caters for the working class while ignoring the poor.

Holomisa, who also met the traditional leaders at Malamulele, said he was going to write a discussion document on the roles of the traditional leaders because the present government "seems to be undermining the traditional leaders."

"Up to this date, the government cannot state clearly as to what roles the traditional leaders need to play in government. Headmen in some provinces are still to get their salaries. Ramatlhodi has been promising in every year's budget speech that headmen will get their salaries, but we haven't seen that happen until today."