Former NP leader Sam de Beer joins UDM

Former leader of the National Party (NP) in Gauteng, Sam de Beer, resigned and joined the United Democratic Movement (UDM), led by former NP colleague Roelf Meyer and Bantu Holomisa. De Beer mentioned lack of charisma from the party's national leadership as one of the reasons why he was leaving the NP. Another reason was the unhappiness of his constituency over issues they were experiencing. However, it was not long before he resigned from the UDM and quitted his seat in the National Assembly, citing disillusionment with the UDM's inability to unite all South Africans in a single party. De Beer said he was looking for a new political home where he could remain active in political life. He acknowledged that he had considered the African National Congress (ANC), but declined to be drawn on whether he was in formal talks with ANC leaders about his future. De Beer said he had opted to resign because the "optimistic expectations that I had of the UDM's potential of achieving its goals, as expressed in its election manifesto, have faded away. Under these circumstances it was only fair to make room for somebody who can still work with enthusiasm for the party ".\