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, a former African National Congress and Transkei homeland leader, General Bantu Holomisa, and a former ANC Executive Committee member, John Taylor. It has an anti-separatist, pro-diversity platform; and supports an individualist South Africa with a strong moral sense, in both social and economic senses.
Floor crossing was a system introduced to the post-apartheid South African political system in 2002, under which members of Parliament, members of provincial legislatures and local government councillors could change political party and take their seats with them when they did so. Floor crossing in South Africa was abolished in January 2009.
Eastern Cape is one of the nine multi-member constituencies of the National Assembly of South Africa, the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, the national legislature of South Africa. The constituency was established in 1994 when the National Assembly was established by the Interim Constitution following the end of Apartheid. It is conterminous with the province of Eastern Cape. The constituency currently elects 25 of the 400 members of the National Assembly using the closed party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 general election it had 3,363,161 registered electors.
Samuel Johannes de Beer is a South African politician and former Christian minister who served in Parliament from 1974 to 2001, excepting a brief hiatus from 1998 to 1999. He subsequently joined the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Annelizé van Wyk is a South African politician who served in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2014, excepting a brief hiatus in 2009. She represented the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until April 2003, when she crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC). She chaired the Portfolio Committee on Police from 2012 to 2014.
Desmond Kanaprekancen Padiachey is a South African politician who represented the National Party (NP) and one of the main members of the New National Party (NNP) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 1999. He was then offered a new position in the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in early 2004 ahead of that year's general election.
Nokwethemba Thelisile Biyela is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly during the first post-apartheid Parliament. Though she was not initially elected in the 1994 election, she was sworn in during the legislative term. At that time she was secretary of the ANC Women's League in Northern Natal.
Thomas Abrahams is a retired South African politician who served in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2004. He was the national treasurer of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until 1 April 2003, when he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC).
Ndaba Zwelodumo Mtirara is a Xhosa traditional leader and former politician. He is a member of the Thembu royal family and represented the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the National Assembly from 1999 until 2001, when he resigned. He subsequently joined the African National Congress (ANC).
Dickson Gcinikhaya Mkono is a South African politician from the Eastern Cape. He served in the National Assembly from 2001 to 2004 and in the National Council of Provinces from 2004 to 2009. He was a member of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until March 2003, when he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC).
Lesiba Christopher Mothiba was a South African politician and traditional leader. He rose to prominence during apartheid as a politician in Lebowa and the leader of the GaMothiba traditional authority in present-day Polokwane, Limpopo. He later served in the post-apartheid National Assembly from 2001 to 2004, representing the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC) in 2003.
Jacobus Tapedi "Jakes" Maseka was a South African politician, lawyer, and businessman. He represented the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the National Assembly from 2001 to 2004 but later broke away to found the Movement Democratic Party (MDP).
Lucas Mbadi is a retired South African politician and academic. He served in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2004, representing the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until April 2003, when he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC).
Aumsensingh "Omie" Singh is a South African politician and businessman from KwaZulu-Natal. From 2014 to 2019, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Council of Provinces, where he co-chaired Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests. Before that, he served in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2001 to 2014 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2001. Having entered politics as a member of the Democratic Party (DP), he joined the ANC by floor-crossing in March 2003.
Sipho Elijah Mzimela was a South African politician, anti-apartheid activist, and Christian minister. He was the first post-apartheid Minister of Correctional Services from 1994 to 1998. Originally a member of the African National Congress (ANC), he joined the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 1990 and then the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in 1999.
Jacobus Wilhelmus le Roux is a retired South African politician from the Eastern Cape. He served in the National Assembly from 1994 to 1999 and from 2001 to 2004, and he later served a term in the National Council of Provinces from 2004 to 2009.
Petrus Arnoldus "Piet" Matthee is a South African politician who represented the National Party (NP) and New National Party (NNP) in Parliament from 1987 to 2004, excepting a hiatus in the President's Council from 1989 to 1990. He joined Parliament during apartheid as the MP for Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal. In the post-apartheid era, he served in the National Assembly from 1994 to 1999 and then as leader of the NNP in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) from 1999 to 2004.
Jillian Nomancube Bam is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly during the first democratic Parliament. Though not initially elected in the 1994 general election, she was sworn in to a seat during the legislative term.
Nosisa Babalwa Mfono is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly during the first democratic Parliament. She was not initially elected in the 1994 general election but joined the legislature during the legislative term, filling a casual vacancy. She sat on the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Water Affairs and Forestry.
