Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP
President
Bantubonke Holomisa was born the son of Tembu Chief Bazindlovu Holomisa on 25 July 1955 in the Mqanduli district of Transkei. After attending the Upper Ngqungqu Primary School in Mqanduli, he proceeded to the Jongilizwe College for the Sons of Chiefs and Headmen in Tsolo, Transkei, where he matriculated in 1975. Apart from the usual matriculation subjects, he obtained an additional Diploma in Leadership, with the subjects of current events, conduct of public affairs, public administration, English, African law (then called Bantu law, using the university-prescribed textbook by Seymore on the subject), typing and office routine. Major General (Retired) Bantu Holomisa co-founded the United Democratic Movement in 1997 with Mr Roelf Meyer. Mr Holomisa serves as the UDM’s President. He was again elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections and was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans in the Government of National Unity in the 7th Administration in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
Mr Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, MP
Deputy President
Mr NLS Kwankwa was born and bred in Middledrift (now officially known as iXesi) in the Eastern Cape and he grew up in a politically inclined family. He was formerly a member of the African National Congress (ANC), the ANC Youth League, and he participated in South African Student Congress (SASCO) activities although he prioritised his academic work over political activities. Mr Kwankwa attended the University of the Western Cape, where he obtained a Business Administration Degree. He left the ANC in 2006 when he joined the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in 2007. Mr Kwankwa started his career in the UDM as a member of the support staff until he was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2013. He then became the Chief Whip of the party in 2014, and he had been the youngest Member of Parliament during that term and the youngest Chief Whip in the history of the democratic South Africa. He completed a Post Graduate Degree in Economics from the University of South Africa, and a management executive programme at the University of Pretoria, as well as financial management. In 2015 he won the Outstanding International Leadership Award for his role in spreading the anti-xenophobia message, awarded by the Extraordinary People Awards. The award has since been named after him. Mr Kwankwa founded the African Parliamentarians Association for Human Rights (AfriPAHR) in 2017, which is a non-partisan network of parliamentarians from the African continent that works to advance democracy, freedom of religion or belief and human rights to build a fairer and inclusive Africa, through diplomacy and fostering strategic alliances between nations. He currently serves as the Chair of the AfriPAHR Steering Committee. He was re-elected as a Member of Parliament in 2019 when he as the UDM’s Chief Whip in Parliament. He was re-elected as a Member of Parliament in 2024. He currently serves as a full-time member of the Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy and the Standing Committee on Appropriations. Additionally, he serves as an alternate on the Social Development Portfolio Committee. Mr Kwankwa is the Deputy President of the UDM.
Mr Sangolibanzi Nobongoza
National Deputy Chairperson
Humphrey Nobongoza was born in Tsomo and matriculated at the Cofimvaba High School in Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape. He is busy with a BA degree at the University of Walter Sisulu University and has earned a Diploma in Public Service Management from the Swedish Institute of Public Service Management. He has several years’ experience in the public service in various positions and ended his career as the Chief Director in the Office of the Premier of the Eastern Cape. He had served as the Party’s National Chairperson, as well as Secretary General, but currently fulfills the duty a Deputy National Chairperson.
Ms Zandile Phiri
Acting Secretary General
Zandile Phiri hails from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape. She was a student leader during her time of studying towards a national diploma at the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in the Eastern Cape and served in various roles on the Students Representatives Council (SRC). She is a recipient of the Best Debate Team award at WSU. Ms Phiri is also a recipient of the Best Organiser award, SRC Academic Excellence Award and the Outstanding Leader Award. She earned a National Diploma in IT Development Software from the WSU, as well as an Advanced Diploma in IT Application Software. Ms Phiri is a fledgeling software guru who is applying her programming knowledge with a variety of coding languages such as C++, JavaScript, RStudio, Python, SQL, VB-net, Android Studio, GitHub, HTML, CSS and PHP. Since the UDM’s Secretary General, Cllr Yongama Zigebe was deployed as a councillor in the City of Johannesburg since July 2024, Ms Phiri serves as the Acting Secretary General of the UDM.
Ms Thandi Nontenja, MP
National Treasurer
Thandi Nontenja grew up in Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape and matriculated at the Colana High School in Mount Frere. Ms Nontenja has several diplomas in bookkeeping, accounting and business management, as well as political leadership. She ended her career in the business sector when she was elected as a city councillor for the United Democratic Movement of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council in 2006, 2011 and 2016 and served as the chairperson of the municipal public accounts committee (Mpac) for several years. Ms Nontenja has been very active in women’s organisations and is a member of People Opposing Women Abuse. In the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, Ms Nontenja was elected to be a Member of Parliament. She is a full-time member of the Portfolio Committees on Defence and Military Veterans, as well as Women, Children, and People with Disabilities. In addition, she is an alternate on the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. She currently serves as the National Treasurer of the UDM as well as the Party’s Chief Whip in the National Assembly.
Mr Lennox Gaehler, MPL
National Fundraiser
Lennox Gaehler was born in Mthatha and received his education at Excelsior High School in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. He has qualified himself with a Diploma in Building Industry and, over the past thirty years, has become a highly successful businessperson in the construction industry. He has served the United Democratic Movement as Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Provincial Structure in the past, and currently serves as the UDM’s National Fundraiser, as well as Party Leader in the Eastern Cape Legislature.