Following the success of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), by creating a safety net for all members of parliament, through voting by secret ballot, we have to seize the opportunity to put the people and the country first.

In this regard, let us vote against the abuse of power, the infamous bogus intelligence report, and the abuse of the resources of our people. Let us vote against the threats to our sovereignty, and the Constitutional order. Let us vote against Mr Zuma, the Chief Architect of State Capture.

As if that is not enough, Mr Zuma had the courage to mislead the house, about a bond to his private house. Later on, he goes to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), to mislead that house too. He said the Public Protector never gave him a fair chance respond to allegation against him yet he was given no less than 4 hours.

In years to come, the history we are writing today, shall not only be read and taught, but it will also determine the socio-economic and political future of our country. Whatever we do this afternoon, it must be for and about South Africa.

The electorate has bestowed upon us a responsibility to collectively stay true to the vision, the mission and the goals of our country, as espoused in our Constitution.

We are also called upon, to live up to the values and ideals of those who came before us and founded the Constitutional Democracy we now enjoy and must defend at all costs.

Accordingly, these challenges must propel us to do everything within the confines of the law, and redirect the downward trajectory that has visited our country under the leadership of Mr Zuma, into an opportunity to recapture the historic mission of our nation and the constitution.

In order to succeed, we need an unwavering loyalty and allegiance to the collective people of South Africa who by numbers, far exceed the collective totality of our party membership.

Fellow South Africans, the urgent task of defeating poverty, unemployment, inequality and corruption, cannot be achieved under the conditions of perpetual thievery and lawlessness that continue to characterise the leadership of Mr Zuma.

Today, I repeat, is not about regime change but restoration of hope that our country can still be saved from the brink of collapse. We must inspire this hope to all South Africans who as we debate, are in front of this parliament, in streets of our country and some watching at their homes.

Let South Africa be a winner. DM

This was the speech delivered  by UDM leader, Bantu Holomisa, in the Motion of No Confidence debate in Parliament. August 8, 2017.

Photo: United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa speaks in Parliament during the debate on the State of the Nation in Cape Town. (GCIS Photo)