Sibongile Mashaba

Sibongile Mashaba

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa will not wait until he is in government to help poor South Africans.

This was the message he had for Soweto residents when he visited the area during his door-to-door campaign yesterday.

He started his visit at an informal settlement near Lily Cinema in Meadowlands.

Holomisa told residents: "I will not wait until I am in government to help you. I will start now. You are probably tired of politicians coming here and making empty promises.

"I have been saying it from the beginning, and I will say it again: I want to help South Africans."

He told residents to write a list of their grievances, that he would personally deliver to the City of Joburg and the Gauteng local government. "Since I'm not in government, that is the role I can play."

Holomisa was given a warm welcome by a few residents, some of whom told him they were not going to vote for him but for the ANC.

"I am glad that I met you today, but I am not going to vote for you. I always see you on television, but today you gave me a handshake," said a resident.

Holomisa also visited Dube and Mofolo. UDM councillors distributed pamphlets at Ikwezi railway station from as early as 5am.

"We are asking you to vote for us. Please vote for change," Wiseman Gcwalangobuthi told people rushing to board trains.