Bantu Holomisa


Bantubonke Harrington Holomisa is a South African Member of Parliament and President of the United Democratic Movement.
Holomisa was born in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape. He joined the Transkei Defence Force in 1976 and had become a Brigadier by 1985.
Holomisa forced the resignation and exile of Prime Minister of Transkei George Matanzima in October 1987 and overthrew Matanzima's successor, Prime Minister Stella Sigcau in December 1987. Holomisa then became the Transkei's head of government from 1987 to 1994, when Transkei was reintegrated into South Africa.

National politics

In 1994 Holomisa was elected to the African National Congress National Executive Committee, and was the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism of South Africa. After testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission he was expelled from the ANC on 30 September 1996.
He co-founded the United Democratic Movement in 1997 with John Taylor former ANC executive member and Roelf Meyer, and was elected to parliament in 1999.
Bantu Holomisa and UDM supported a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on several occasions, including on August 8, 2017.

Personal life

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