Election campaign goes mobile

The UDM 2009 election campaign kicked off on Wednesday, 8 October 2008, with a media briefing with UDM president Bantu Holomisa. Also launched was UDMConnect, which accommodates both cellphone and online-based party membership and communication in the style of commercial ‘customer care' models. Intended to revolutionise the way people sign up for party membership and receive party communiqués, UDMConnect enables South African ‘customers' to become a member of the political party, without the drudgery of filling in forms, or appearing in person at branches; communicate local community problems via SMS to the UDM, enhancing the party's ability to follow up, effect constituency work and keep in contact with voters; log problems on the website, or update membership information; and be informed of local UDM activities.