Mpulu ditches UDM’s election race
United Democratic Movement (UDM) member of the provincial legislature Thando Mpulu has pulled out of the party’s election race.
Mpulu, who has served as the UDM’s MPL since 2014, withdrew his name from the candidates’ list at the 11th hour citing family reasons.
In a letter dated March 13 2019, seen by the Daily Dispatch, UDM president Bantu Holomisa informs leaders and members of the UDM that the list process had been successful and the criteria used influenced the ranking, such as gender, skills and expertise, age, and “continuity” of candidates.
He then goes on to announce that Mpulu would no longer be in the legislature as a representative of the party after he withdrew his name from the list.
Mpulu, who is a former Progressive Youth Alliance leader, was at number two on the province’s list which was put forward to the national list.
He has now been replaced by Mzimkulu Mpangele.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, Mpulu said: “I pulled out because going to Cape Town was going to inconvenience me from a family point of view. The list I was put in was a province-to-national list so that was going to destabilise me and at the moment I am not in a position to destabilise my family arrangement,” he said.
Asked if he was still a member of the party and what he would be doing next, seeing that he was neither going to Bhisho nor Cape Town, Mpulu said: “I am still weighing my options regarding my future plans. I have an option to go back to business but in the event that I might have another role to play in government I would consider that as well. I am campaigning as we speak. I’ve been deployed in Ngcobo. I am leading a team that is campaigning here in Ngcobo,” he said.
Holomisa tops the party’s list to the national assembly followed by the party’s deputy president Nqabayomzi Nkwankwa and Thandiwe Nontenja.
In a surprise move, UDM MP at the national assembly Mncedisi Filtane will be coming back to the province as he tops the party’s provincial list followed by Felix Lulama Bongani Mahati and Noncedo Zinti.