Bantubonke Harrington Holomisa (born 25 July 1955) is a South African Member of Parliament and President of the

United Democratic Movement 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 Congre ...

. Holomisa was born in Mqanduli, Cape Province. He joined the Transkei Defence Force in 1976 and had become a

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...

by 1985. Holomisa forced the resignation and exile of Prime Minister of Transkei

George Matanzima Chief George Mzimvubu Mathanzima (26 December 1918 in Qamata – 10 November 2000) was a leader of the Transkei bantustan in South Africa, a young brother of Kaiser Matanzima and a nephew of Nelson Mandela. He and his brother, Kaiser co-founde ...

in October 1987 and overthrew Matanzima's successor, Prime Minister Stella Sigcau in a bloodless coup d'état in December 1987. Holomisa then became the

head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a ...

Transkei Transkei (, meaning ''the area beyond he riverKei''), officially the Republic of Transkei ( xh, iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Ba ...

from 1987 to 1994, upon which Transkei was reintegrated into the "new" South Africa and Holomisa joined the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

(ANC).

National politics

In 1994 Holomisa was elected to the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, and was the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism of South Africa.

Expulsion from the ANC

Holomisa testified to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that Stella Sigcau should be investigated for corruption. Holomisa stated that Sigcau was involved in accepting bribes from South African hotel and casino magnate Sol Kerzner when she was minister of public enterprises in the Transkei government of

. Instead of investigating the accusations of corruption the ANC accused Holomisa of bringing the party into disrepute. Holomisa then also accused the ANC of also accepting funds and kickbacks from Kerzner. The ANC then expelled Holomisa on 30 September 1996. Deputy president Thabo Mbeki was instrumental in pushing for Holomisa's expulsion and recommended that there was no need to investigate Sigcau for corruption even though the circumstances of Sigcau accepting money from Kerzner were not in doubt.

Founding of the UDM

Holomisa co-founded the

(UDM) in 1997 with former ANC executive member John Taylor and Roelf Meyer, and was elected to parliament in 1999. Holomisa and the UDM supported a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on several occasions, including on 8 August 2017.

Personal life

Holomisa supports South African football club Kaizer Chiefs, for whom he declared his love in an interview with Radio 702 in 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holomisa, Bantu 1955 births Living people People from King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality Xhosa people African National Congress politicians United Democratic Movement (South Africa) politicians Members of the National Assembly of South Africa Heads of government of Transkei Leaders who took power by coup South African military personnel