Congress of the People in the Mother City

Archive for November, 2009

ON COURT CHALLENGE BY SRC WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY

In News on November 30, 2009 at 4:28 pm

On the 10 November 2009, the Mthatha High Court granted COPE Student Movement (COPE SM) branch in Walter Sisulu University a Court interdict to deem the Student Representative Council (SRC) elections that took place unlawful.

The Student Movement was forced to take action in Court, with the assistance of Mvuzo Notyesi Incorporation in Mthatha, after the SASCO led SRC refused to recognise COPE SM prior to this year’s SRC elections in that campus (Nelson Mandela Drive Campus). COPE Student Movement has suffered such treatment many a times around the country from SASCO led SRCs and in many cases we have always had our applications of affiliation delayed.

The hostility shown towards COPE SM by SASCO in some institutions is in line with remarks made in a statement they released on the 15-12-08, “While respecting the right of COPE to mobilise, we call on all our members and students to reject COPE and ensure that COPE doesn’t recruit in our campuses.” It is obvious that SASCO has egg on its face because COPE SM has managed to mobilise in almost all institutions in our country. We currently have presence in about 80% of the possible Student Movement branches.

As a progressive Student Movement that has high regard for the judiciary and the rule of law, we welcome the challenge by the SRC and we will respect any verdict reached upon by the Court of law after the hearing tomorrow, 26 November 2009.

We are of the view that SASCO is very unconstitutional in frustrating the existence of COPE SM in a country that has a Constitution that encourages a multiparty state, this should subsequently allow for the same in Institutions of Higher Learning.

Additional information: Sandile Puti (Provincial Co-ordinator COPESM)
083 543 2237

Press Briefing: 23 November 2009

In News on November 27, 2009 at 9:34 am

(This is a transcription report on the media briefing given by the interim chairperson of Cope in the Western Cape on 23 November 2009)

First let me thank you for taking out time to attend this media briefing. Our objective is to address the question, which has been widely asked especially in the media about where COPE stands since the elections.

Last Friday we held a meeting to discuss the Standing of our organisation (COPE Western Cape). It was decided that by the time COPE contest local government elections it must have fully fledged structures.

There’s been quite a media hype and complaints about COPE lack of visibility and energy since the elections. This organisation was established almost on the public platform. I remember how the press used to follow us wherever we go. This is perhaps why now people expect to see everything happening within the party on that platform also.

It is perhaps understandable that people should expect COPE to be always in the public space since it was almost born on that platform. But it is impossible for any organisation to grow through the public platform. The growing pains are a private thing, and, as the saying goes, to every birth its blood.

Building an organisation is vastly different from sparkling it into existence. It requires committed members to go into the trenches. To make any significant inroads our members must be on the ground. It is unfortunate that the media cannot follow such activities. For instance, here at the Metro last weekend, we launched 4 branches and I don’t recall seeing any media person there.

But as far as launching our branches, the work is progressing, a little slow there and there for our liking since we are in a hurry to go to go to our elective conferences. We don’t want to rush things, because we want the process to follow our constitution and guidelines, to facilitate easier auditing process when submitted to the national office.

After the elections we had to come to the establishment of the political party, getting into the focus of recruiting to make people full members. In the strategic session held in June we resolved that our major challenge now should be on establishing structure towards elective conference.

Having accessed the number of branches already launched as opposed to those still not in good standing we decided we will have a provincial elective conference during the first week of March. We want to afford our regions opportunity to go to their regional conference from December onwards.

What is crucial for the Congress of the People presently is that it should hasten the process of forming structures. This is the only thing that’ll enable it to move forward and end all these squabbles. This process is the only thing that’ll help legitimise structures and the leadership.

Some say the only way even the elective conferences are going to work is if the present interim leadership is dissolved. We’ve, time after time, tried to explain the folly of this attitude. Our people are in a hurry to put into leadership positions the candidates they want to elect democratically. To delay that process with unnecessarily restructuring of the interim structure, which by the way will need to be vetted and approved by the CNC (Congress National Committee) is undesirable.

As the interim leadership for that matter we’ve no powers to dissolve structures; it’s a national prerogative. Even they, I’m sure, have no powers to dissolve legitimate structures without proper reasons. These things are controlled by our constitution.

It became apparent to us at some stage when we were trying to accommodate the issues of those who call themselves a ‘concerned group’ that their only interest was not the good of the party; they are more concerned with pushing for positions of power. They made demands about something they call Zebra accommodation, which roughly means that if, for instance, the current chairperson of the province remains then the deputy and the secretary must come from themselves.

On what grounds; we wanted to know. No one was able to answer, except that it was clear they were pushing for power. Our major concern is this. Say by some forced trick of mutual agreement that by necessity must involve the CNC we were able to make this accommodation; what will stop another disgruntled group from making similar demands. The interesting thing is that the same people who are making these demands were part of the processes that lead to the appointment of the interim group.

We were operating through the mandate we were given at the Bloemfontein Conference, which said there must be appointed interim leadership to take us to elective conference. Their complaint is that the process was undemocratic. Our answer is, how is it possible to have a democratically elected interim leadership when you do not have proper structures on the ground.

The appointment of the representative of the Western Cape interim leadership was based on trying to have a team that is inclusive by profiles of race, gender, geography. Our regions were given opportunity to comment on the proposals, and people like Gophe and Joseph, who are now leaders of the ‘concerned group’ were part of that process.

Then there’s the issue about the list. This matter is now in the hands of our national office. We as this interim leadership were also taken by surprise when we discovered the list that came back from us was not the same one we submitted. Kuta, for instance, here next to me, was high up in that list, but when it came back his name didn’t even feature in the top 30.

Investigations were instigated, and we were assured by the national office that they are still in the process of finalising it. We were given a presidential report as the PLIG (Provincial Interim Group) that basically were saying the founding are still inconclusive, hence the process is continuing. The difficulty lies in the fact the person responsible for finalising the list, Mlungisi Hlongwane, has since resigned from COPE; in fact it almost clear now that he was an agent paid to destroy the organisation.

In our mind we are now clear that the disgruntled group in our province is no longer looking out for the good of the organisation. They’ve formed syndicates and are behaving like paid agents to destroy the organisation. Some of them while meeting and talking with us were in parallel talks with other organisation, like the ANC, and so forth.

How do you take such people seriously as working for the good of the organisation. They much to our offices with organised school children carrying slanderous placards instead of giving us their official concerns. What they want and ever do is to undermine and darken the image of the current interim leadership.

Mbulelo Ncedana
COPE Interim Chairperson (Western Cape)


BUTI MANAMELA’S CALLS ARE IGNORANT AND MISINFORMED

In Discussion on November 26, 2009 at 10:17 pm

President Zuma’s administration and allies have since the inauguration been shifting blame of failures of the previous administration directly at former President Mbeki’s doorstep, whilst accepting its successes as their own, without affording any accolades to the former President and his colleagues for some of the good work they did. President Zuma, on BBC directly blamed Mr Mbeki for HIV/AIDS failures in South Africa, accusing him of implementing his own policies, instead of the ANC’s. One was left to wonder, as Deputy President of the ANC and the country at the time, why did he remain silent if he knew ANC policies were not implemented. He should therefore also accept responsibility for the so-called Mbeki failures. Mr Aaron Motsoaledi is the latest high-level official to have opportunistically jumped on the bandwagon. The message to the Government is clear: get on with your job and stop blaming others.

Buti Manamela’s call for charging President Mbeki with genocide is ignorant, immature and opportunistic at best. He deserves to be castigated for fighting and pushing his quasi-communist master’s political battles while they hide behind him to do their dirty work. This declaration is without substance and is being used as cheap political point scoring to outdo Julius Malema, who is regarded in ANC circles as a man of incredible clout and influence. If this is anything to go by, it is evident that the once glorious tripartite alliance is beginning to crumble.

Lesson 101 Mr Manamela, Thesaurus describes Genocide as “the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group.” COPE President, Mr Lekota, also joined the fray describing the genocide calls as irresponsible and that genocide “was a deliberate policy or decision to kill people.” He carried on saying that at no point was this ever ANC or Government policy.

That, Mr Mbeki’s systematically and deliberately planned to wipe out a portion of the South African population infected with HIV and AIDS is ludicrous. We all acknowledge that some serious mistakes were made during Mbeki’s tenure, but we should be big enough to acknowledge that these took place collectively under the watch of President Zuma, who at the time was the country’s Deputy President and Chairman of the South African National AIDS Council. The ANC and its alliance partners pride themselves in collectivism and implementing ANC policy in Government. Why is it now convenient to castigate a leader of Mbeki’s stature when collectively they could have avoided their now publicised concern?

At times, I have to admit to have the most admiration for Julius Malema for speaking truth to power. He is quoted to have said that the decisions President Mbeki made in Government, were collective ANC decisions, and they would therefore, not allow him to be hung out to dry! He further stated that should Mr Mbeki be charged with genocide, other leaders within the ANC would also be exposed. Was he perhaps referring to President Zuma and the collective at the time? I would therefore further encourage him to whisper in the President’s ear to ask him to desist from shifting blame on other people, but rather focus on fighting the pandemic head on. After all, history will judge him on his track record than blaming others for mistakes made. As far as South Africans are concerned, the ANC has been in Government for the past 15 years, and should therefore take collective responsibility for any mistakes made.

I was very encouraged to have read an article in The Times, dated 24 November 2009 by Nkululeko Nxesi, the Secretary General of the National Association of People living with HIV/Aids, and it gives an insight to what people’s views are about the manner in which politicians continue with their masquerades. Nxesi was quoted as saying: “It is important that we move forward and stop trying to settle scores and by being vengeful. Many [people with HIV/Aids] still do not have access to nutrition and food security. This causes most of them not to take the treatment that is provided by the government clinics and hospitals.” He further mentioned that Ms Tshabalala-Msimang’s statements about nutrition carried some weight.

It is high time that politicians stopped their bickering to score cheap political points and focus on serious issues at hand. We continue to wait in anticipation for the roll out of a comprehensive Government plan as promised by Dr Motsoaledi. Blaming Mr Mbeki will never solve any problems, but will be a catalyst to fuel more divisions and anarchy than finding meaningful solutions that will benefit millions of South Africans.

Sipho Nghona is a member of COPE and writes in his personal capacity.


The Lies Thicken

In Editorials on November 19, 2009 at 11:15 am

The two COPE councillor, Bongani Mini (Ward 34) and B. Mafilika (Ward 35) who were accused of fraudulently behaviour by their ANC colleagues were found not guilty yesterday by the Cape Town Magistrate Court. The court found no substantial evidence against the accused. It also turned out the accusers gave conflicting reports in court to that which they gave at the City Council disciplinary committee last week.

The plaintiffs (accusers), Mr. Mkhutswana and Njamela, who are ANC councillor and Pr councillor respectively made the allegations in August 2009, whereupon the accused were arrested in a well orchestrated dramatic arrest that involved high serving police officers, in the early hours of the 16 August 2009. Subsequently Mr. Mini and Mr. Mafilika appeared in court the following day. They again appeared in court on the 16 October before appearing again yesterday (19 November 2009). Yesterday the case against them was thrown out of court for lack of substantive evidence.

COPE and the accused have always maintained that the accusations were untrue, and had political motivations behind them. It was disappointing when the disciplinary committee of the City Council found against the accused last week without giving reasons and evidence why. The committee promised to recommend to the full City Council for the dismissal from the council of the accused. The two accused were planning to appeal the decision which now they hope won’t be necessary since they have been found not guilty by an impartial court of law.

The behaviour of Mr. Mkhutswana and Njamela warrants a high disciplinary action from the City Council. Also the accused expect them to undertake, at the least, similar media orchestrations as they did when they accused them. They must explain to the public the motives for their error of judgement, and expose whomever is behind for misleading them into making such serious false accusations. Failure to do this will compel the accused to seek legal advice and sue for deformation of character.

COPE believes these dirty tricks and wanting win over, by crook or by hook, the Wards the ANC lost led to this unfortunate incidence. This brutality and lack for individual regard about other’s welfare is appalling. It has dented the image of two innocent individuals. The ANC likes to make us believe that it has morals and acts on ethics but time after time its behaviour reveals the opposite. The unfortunate thing is that it is sometimes able to get away with this kind of despicable behaviour and even manipulate other parties into its own nefarious agenda, as the Rassol-Ozinsky saga testifies.

COPE is against corruption and fraudulent behaviour even when done by its own members but cautions the public in general, and other parties in particular, to be aware of the dirty tricks campaign of the ANC to win back this province. We are certain this deplorable behaviour will thicken as the local elections approaches. The ANC has been exposed in the Western Cape, and now is desperate to win back public confidence. The sad part is that the more desperate it becomes the more it exposes itself for being a morally bankrupt and directionless.

COPE would like to call upon the ANC, and Mr. Mkhutswana and Njamela in particular, to apologise to our party and the individuals whose name they dragged on the mud unnecessarily. It’ll be the start of a decent thing to do.


COPE OBJECTS TO THE CLOSURE OF ST LUCY’S HOSPITAL

In News on November 19, 2009 at 11:01 am

The Congress of the People in the Eastern Cape is shocked and angered by the inconsiderate move to close the St Lucy’s hospital in Ngcolosi village a small town of Tsolo which is in the former Transkei.

[Eastern Cape] Health MEC Pumulo Masuale assured the people of Ngcolosi that the opening of the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital which is in town will not lead to the closure of the over 100 year old St Lucy’s hospital. On Sunday 15 November 2009 departmental senior staff including Chief Director Mr Malibongwe Mthuzula from Bhisho and Mr Bezana the District manager met the community and the traditional leaders of the 42 villages that are serviced by Lucy’s Hospital to assure them that the hospital will not be closed. A few minutes after they left government vehicles arrived to dismantle equipment including the machinery that was donated to the hospital by the Japanese Government.

It is shocking to learn that Government Officials are currently relocating equipment from St Lucy’s hospital to the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital planned to be officially opened on Thursday 19 November 2009. Equipment in a number of wards including Maternity, X-ray and Main Ward have already been taken away from St Lucy’s hospital to the new hospital. Yet the MEC and his officials continue to lie and mislead the community about their commitment to the non-closure of the hospital. It is also worth noting that more than R200m has been budgeted for the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital and therefore it is supposed to have its own new equipment.

This repugnant act by the ANC led government smacks of a party that is myopic and inconsiderate. It was the ANC led government that ruined this rural hospital. The hospital served 42 villages who live far away from town. Now they are supposed to have extra transport money whenever they need to go hospital. And the ANC government still dares to pay lip service about prioritising rural development. It is typical of this government to say one thing and do the opposite.

The Congress of the People calls on the ANC to respect the people of Tsolo, Ngcolosi and its surrounding areas. Where is the better life for all that the ANC always talks about in this kind of attitude? Or is it just a catchy slogan that is rolled out in election times?

Under these difficult economic conditions that we are in, it is unacceptable that a public resource serving our people will be taken away and thereby forcing our people to travel to town for what is rightfully theirs, a right to health service.

COPE is prepared to fight tooth and nail in defence of the rights of all the people of this country, especially the poor, urban or rural. We will also carefully scrutinise the final costs of the new hospital to ensure that no corners were cut, or pockets lined, which would ultimately lead to an unfortunate compromise of this nature.

Issued by COPE Eastern Cape
Contact Nkosifikile Gqomo on 082 551 0680


Unless we die to self ambition

In Editorials on November 12, 2009 at 1:35 pm

I’ve, for some time, been concerned about the remarks made by some of COPE supporters, especially media, in particular social media like Facebook. Because of my official involvement within the structures of COPE I thought it would be unbecoming for me to comment though many a time I’ve been very tempted. I’ve since changed my mind. I don’t think my involvement in official structures of the party compromises me from commenting on social sites or other platforms of media.

I wish to emphasise that these are my personal views. I’ve not discussed the sensitive topic I’m about to tackle with anyone, certainly not the official structures of COPE.

What I’ve gathered is that the major concerns of the people, communicated mostly through Facebook site, is what they call ‘self-appointed’ leaders of COPE. Because these comments come mostly from Western Cape commentators I presume this means the problem is mostly in our province. I’m not saying other provinces and national are absolutely happy with their interim leadership, but they’re finding ways to work with them for the development of the party. This begs then begs the question, why are things different in the Western Cape? The answer I keep getting is that COPE in the Western Cape is dysfunctional? Or, to put the question another way, why are there COPE members in the Western Cape who are so disgruntled to an extent that they’d rather see the party die than work to build it?

I’ve asked this question to the individuals whom I regard as leaders of the Western Cape disgruntled group. The answer I usually get is that they’re waiting for right people to be in positions of leadership. My next question is usually how do you do that if not by an elective conference. But we cannot go to elective conferences until we’ve built enough structures to give us quorum for the conferences. It’d seem to me then we’ve hit a perfect stalemate, unless one of two things happen.

First some people, especially the leaders of the disgruntled groups, must be absorbed to the leadership structures of the organisation through the back door. Secondly, we can all work with the present interim structure until the elective conferences, whereby, through the processes overseen by independent auditors, we elect the leaders we want democratically.

I’m personally against the first option and I’ll tell you why. If you take leaders of any disgruntled group, put them on leadership structure you are setting a bad precedence. Anyone who is himself not happy with whatever new leadership will themselves convene a few people, perhaps this time not in Woodstock but somewhere at Zola, or Mithchell’s Plain. Then again you’ve to accommodate these too. Soon another group would crop up, perhaps at Parklands, and demand their share. Where does it end?

I’ve heard people talk about ‘self appointed’ leadership and mostly get confused about their meaning. Do they mean appointed or something else? How does one self appoint themselves into a position of political leadership? By its nature, an interim structure is appointed; reasons being the fact that there are no real party structures to facilitate a democratic process. But even the process of appointment has democratic elements in them—those who stay in the Western Cape would recall the sometimes ugly tussle that led to the election of the chairperson of the province that involved almost every member of COPE in the province.

I believe most people have a false understanding of what democracy means, and this in general is the fault of many COPE members. Take the election of our current president for instance. Personally he was not my first choice, but I respect the voice of the majority, which is what democracy is all about. But some COPE members, because they see themselves as being intellectually above him, or something, are still in denial about president Zuma. It is as if they’ll wake up one of these days and find out it was just a bad dream. Something similar is happening in the Western Cape.

There are those who think themselves better qualified to lead the province, just because they happen to have gone to school and learnt how to arrange their sentences to give a pleasing sound when they speak. Some think they are better qualified because they’ve been to the struggle longer. Others because they posses more what they see as a progressive spirit, which, when not confused with a haughty attitude of thinking one is better than others, means they are attuned to modern challenges. What they fail to take into consideration, and this is COPE’s fault in generally, is to read the mood on the ground. A person might not be intellectually suave and still be a capable leader because he has his ear on the ground.

It is always a challenge when thinkers (read intellectuals if you like) go into politics, even more so with ersatz intellectuals who, with bloated egos, tend to think they are know it all and can do everything better than anyone else. Marx called the misery of philosophy (intellectuals), sterility. I like to think he was talking more about those who refuse to be manure for the building of their society.

Some of us, by character, are not of the conquering world of politics, and therefore are less likely to be attracted by power. But in COPE we saw something, an opportunity to influence the recovery of spirit of freedom in our country. It is unfortunately that we sometimes get caught on political snares but I guess that is the nature of politics, and one cannot wrestle the devil without at least getting singed. This we’ve come to understand and accept if we’re to be manure of a new man that must arise out the political discourse that COPE. This new man, instead of submitting to the world, seeks to transform it.

Some of us were always here to build the Hope we, 16 November 2008, we named COPE (Congress of the People). We still endure because the dream still burn bright in our hearts. We recognise that COPE is the only platform where the dream has realistic chance of actualising. To us COPE was never just a splinter group from Polokwane but a historical formation that started as far back as the 16 June 1976 due to the spirit of unquenchable desire for freedom, liberty and true democracy. This attitude took historical root in this country in 76, and continues through the years, getting discouraged there and there, like in ANC prison camps. It was not by coincidence that the people incarcerated by Imbokodo (ANC security forces) who were mostly remnants of June 76’.

Perhaps I’m simplifying these things too much; but it would seem to me that the only way forward for COPE is to work with and through the present interim structures, at least until the elective conferences. Everyone has a right to mobilise, canvass, hell even caucus all they want, but we must not lose site of the fact that we are building an organisation here. If we don’t put all our hands together on deck, we shall perish as fools.

This is why I get concerned where people make calls like not mobilising until this or that has happened. I ask myself, what good would the organisation get from this? The ultimate good of the organisation is the yard stick I use to measure whatever is being said or done in the name of COPE. And when you attack an organisation you belong to is it not incumbent on you to first look in the man on the mirror, and ask yourself what have I done to better this organisation. Is my membership in good order? Have I recruited to build, or I’m just looking for short-cuts, reaping where other men have sowed.

Perhaps for me these things are a little easier because, like Milosz, I knew, always, that I would be a worker in the vineyard … To be manure comes with a tuft. Perhaps still I came late in the vineyard, since I’ve never been directly involved in politics except by necessity of having grown up in the black township. True we didn’t chose the vine-dressers we currently have now, but it dishonest and disingenuous to say all they’ve done is only been bad for the organisation.

A lot of sacrifices, mostly going unappreciated, go into leading a new organisation. Of cause other people choose to see only the failures and not the gains. We cannot help pessimists nor opportunist for that matter who think only they can do better than all involved. As for the rest of us, we must soldier on; the task before us is big. We must build our branches, launch our Voting Districts.

I hear from reliable sources that by Easters next year we’ll at least be going to the provincial elective conference. That to me is very encouraging. I hope it’ll revive many a drooping spirit. Of course even after those conferences they’ll be those still grumbling because they didn’t get their way. We’ll give them power only if on the ground we decide to follow their factions. No organisation is perfect; but, as we all know, the quality of a true cook is in working with ingredients one has before them. The same can be said of true leaders and followers.


NEC ASPERA TERRENT! (difficulties do not terrify us!)

In News on November 6, 2009 at 7:42 pm

THE WEEK THROUGH THE EYES OF COPE YOUTH MOVEMENT

Who said politics was not a challenging and daunting experience? This week was no exception, with controversies and counter controversies rearing their ugly head once again from all quarters of society. Highlights of these being the continuing service delivery protests in Diepsloot and Eldorado Park, Western Cape Youth releasing a damning statement against Allan Boesak (COPEYM national response), the ANCYL’s request for R1bn into the coffers of the National Youth Development Agency, the suspension of Leonard Chuene from ASA, the debacle dodging Eskom and Juju and his cronies being above the law.

We have come to acclimatise with the harsh realities around opposition politics in South Africa where our views and comments on being watchdogs and alternative to the ruling party continue to hit a brick wall from communication reaching our people and the masses at large. We however continue to march on relentlessly to ensure that the mandate given to us by 1.3 million South Africans exceeds all expectations and is taken to greater heights. It is a shame that our triumphs (the people’s victories) are not adequately reported in the public arena. I dare ask how many of the South African population are aware that COPE won, in a convincing fashion two (2) wards in the Northern Cape. It is an indictment to democratic principles that all that is published in the media is negative coverage hell-bent on destroying the gains of democracy we have achieved thus far.

From a policy view, many contest our very existence due to “vague policy positions” and not being able to articulate them effectively enough to give other party’s a run for their money. This may be true, to a certain extent and it therefore calls for us to be vigilant and active in our structures as we make them permanent and elect leaders who will be able to stand true to what COPE stands for. One of these policies is the issue surrounding the labour brokers. It is no secret that they are instrumental in our country’s economic mainstream, and the reality is, the economy can clearly not afford to have its entire active people in permanent employment, although it would be ideal. The call to ban them is reckless and irresponsible as it is estimated that +/- 20,000 would lose employment in this sector should they be abolished.

COPE’s call for this body to be regulated is the correct one, and our call does not mean that our people have been taken for granted. We admit that, our laws have been flouted and violated against by these brokers where ordinary workers end up taking nothing home whilst labour brokers usurp the fruits of their labour! We also dare the General Secretary of the Young Communist League, the great Communist, Buti Manamela, who currently sits in parliament, wearing super 130 Italian suits and driving fancy cars, to reveal fellow comrades he threatened to reveal for their involvement in labour broking shenanigans. It is time people like Manamela were taken to task as he is a parliamentarian with information of individuals who violate our laws, but has done nothing to date to ensure that they are brought to book!

Also, whilst we welcome the Deputy Minister of Transport’s promise to investigate Julius Malema’s traffic violations and abrasive stance against our law enforcement officers, it will be no use to once again use a populism stance to keep the opposition at bay and the public silent. We expect his department to revert back to the public about their findings. In a democratic society, it is fundamentally important for our laws to apply to all the entire citizenry without exception, and we challenge the Government to investigate this fully and take appropriate action, if warranted. COPE stands for equality before the law for all. It is time the public took drastic measures to stop the animal farm behaviour of the ANC and their toddlers, the YL. Many people have no roof over their heads, have no food, no access to basic constitutional rights: water, and the so called champions of the poor continue to live in the lap of luxury, sipping French Champaign, expensive whiskies, red wines and smoking Cuban cigars which don’t taste all that good anyway. Having a good life is good, as long as one has worked hard for it as all of us do on a daily basis.

This then, brings us to another sore point. The Congress of the People Youth Movement has made it crystal clear that they want to participate in the National Youth Development Agency for the benefit and access of resources to the young people of the land. We vehemently reject this body being run solely by the ANCYL. A national structures such as this, which both its Chairman and CEO (Deputy President and Deputy Secretary General of ANCYL) are loyal cadres of the governing party. Our suspicions were spot on that this vehicle was always going to be used to repay the cadres loyal to the President and to Juju.

This week, Julius made an even whimsical call for an injection of R1bn into this body so that they could appoint their cronies into the NYDA from all provincial structures. COPE Youth Movement rejected this request this past week, and in normal circumstances, we would accept it as long as this body exercised democratic principles of inclusivity of all youth formations in South Africa. For as long as the NYDA is controlled and run from Luthuli house without the involvement of young people from across the country, we shall be vocal about lack of democratic principles against a party that is purported to be custodians of our constitution.

The week also saw Mr Allan Boesak turning his back against COPE, claiming in-fighting, disarray and the constitutional or lack thereof of our structures. As the case with all members, we all joined the movement voluntarily and we can leave the organisation voluntarily. Mr Boesak’s presence in COPE was always welcome and our members learned vastly from his knowledge and experience. Whilst it will always be sad to lose people of his calibre, COPE remains bigger than any individual, even President Lekota, Deputy President Shilowa or I. We shall march on, conscious of the fact that we have a tumultuous responsibility to deliver the promise we made to the people of South Africa. This, we shall do, fully cognizant of the many mountains and challenges that continue to be a stumbling block to our progress. But, we dare not falter. To borrow a phrase from Latin, NEC ASPERA TERRENT (difficulties do not terrify us!)

The good news is, last week; Midrand (Gauteng) launched properly constituted branches with duly elected leaders with a mandate from the branches. The Sandton Zone, constituting of Alexandra, Cosmo City, Diepsloot, Honeydew and others, shall be launching branches this coming weekend. Many other such activities across the country continue unabated, and the truth is; COPE is growing. In anticipation of our launch of the THUMA MINA! campaign, many activities across the country will be taking place and one such event, is the mobilisation of young forces in the Nelson Mandela Region where they will be blitzing through the townships of Port Elizabeth on Saturday, 7 November 2009.

Last week, COPE (Gauteng) celebrated the lead up to the 1st Anniversary of COPE which will be held on 16 December 2009. Deputy President, Mbhazima Shilowa was keynote speaker and this event also showcased the blooming talent COPE has in its Student Movement, ably represented by Lukhona Mnguni.

Tomorrow sees another landmark. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) of the Youth Movement shall be descending in Durban for their inaugural meeting regarding operational issues and other matters affecting the organisation. This body consists of the top 12 of the Youth Movement, with heads of all portfolio’s providing feedback on the work conducted thus far. This meeting shall also discuss thorny issues that continue to threaten to destabilise our progress. A report back on this meeting shall be communicated to all by the Secretariat.

Ben Okri, from his book, A Way of Being Free, said: “There are no joys without mountains having been climbed. There are no joys without the nightmares that precede them and spring them into light… The joys that spring from the challenges are profound. And the challenges will always be there. As long as there are human beings there will be challenges. Let no one speak of frontiers exhausted, all challenges met, all problems solved. There is always the joy of discovering, uncovering, and forging new forms, new ways.…”

On behalf of the collective leadership of COPE Youth Movement, we wish you all a blessed weekend and thank you for all the hard work we all continue to do, long may it continue.

Sipho Nghona is Cope Youth Movement Head of Communication

COPE MP Addresses the NCOP (National Council of Provinces)

In Discussion on November 6, 2009 at 9:33 am

5 November 2009

PROVINCIAL WEEK

Chairperson,

The NCOP represents the provinces to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national government’s programme of action. This is our mandate.

In order to give proper effect to this mandate, it is imperative for the NCOP to go out to the provinces to gauge how government action was impacting on each province. The Provincial week therefore serves as an instrumental forum for the NCOP and the provinces to examine problems and establish collaborative approaches in seeking solutions and devising mechanisms to address the needs of the people of South Africa.

Mr Chairman, do we have problems that need solutions. To answer this question let us consider the fact that South Africa probably has more social protests per person than anywhere in the world. On average there are sixteen protests taking place each day. What does this say?

It says that the problems are mounting. It warns that time is running out. Meanwhile the cost of electricity is climbing and jobs are vanishing. The people no longer have patience and we no longer have time.

Chairman, we began our Provincial week with a visit to the Molemole Local Municipality. There we learnt that only R3.7 million of the R5.7 million allocated for the building of 200 units for rural dwellers was spent.
Chairperson, COPE condemns this. It is unacceptable.

Worse still was the fact the deplorable condition of the house of the Tau family we visited. How can the ANC led government allow this situation of shoddy houses go on year after year?

The delegation agreed that the house had to be taken down and rebuilt.

The Sebaila family has had an incomplete site since 2004. This is 2009 chairperson. Five years have gone by. According to the MEC for housing, the Sebaila family is not the only one experiencing this sort of problem.
That is a devastating admission.

This government is being robbed left, right and centre. It is being robbed from within and from outside. It is being robbed willingly and consistently. This government is presiding over the greatest kleptocracy this nation has ever seen. Probably every tender that is approved is a licence for larceny. COPE condemns what is happening in the strongest terms possible.
Chairperson, what we saw was bad enough. However, I was even more devastated to learn that the municipality has been without a manager for 12 months. It was also shocking that the funds from the Municipal Infrastructure grant was not utilised.

Chairperson this is a very serious indictment on government. Government is bound by the Constitution to guarantee delivery of services. Yet year after year we come back to this house to bemoan the fact that municipalities lack capacity and that key officials are not appointed in good time.

For how long do we expect to hear this broken record being played again and again. It is not only boring. It is tragic.
Chairperson we in COPE want this government to start becoming serious, very serious about service delivery. It is very embarrassing for us to hold the world record of being the nation with the most number of service delivery protests in the world.

The time for talk and debate is over. The time for action has arrived. If government cannot cope, Chairperson we certainly can COPE!.

Thank You!

Makhubela Mafemani COPE MP

The Congress of the People notes the resignation of Jacob Maroga from his position as CEO of Eskom.

In News on November 6, 2009 at 9:14 am

While many may see this as a potential turning point in the parastatal’s fortunes, COPE is less optimistic.

Among the contributing factors to the continued failure of the parastatal is the willingness of the CEO, the Eskom board and government to bow down to the whims of the powerful coal lobby. The relationship between the ruling party and Chancellor House, especially in the awarding of tenders to build new coal fired power stations is also a matter of grave concern.

These corrupt and monopolistic relationships have affected the operations and long term planning for this country and the ripple effects will be dire if action is not taken.

We cannot blame Jacob Maroga solely for the current state of affairs. Government does not seem to have the will nor the incentive to change the outdated legislation and policy framework for energy, especially when it comes to deregulation of the energy sector, to address very pressing 21st century problems, like climate change and closing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Reports of a leadership struggle within Eskom are also very discouraging. We are also yet to hear of a golden handshake to Jacob Maroga which will inevitably come in the next few days – a further burden on the taxpayer.

The next CEO needs to have the backbone to do the right thing for the people of South Africa, and not just the privileged few who benefit from the continued inadequacies of the parastatal.

COPE are at the forefront of changing the energy sector and have called a conference for Clean, Affordable, Sustainable Energy (CASE) for early 2010.

For further information, please contact Phillip Dexter on 082 453 4088


Media Statement on Dr. Allan Boesak resigning from COPE

In Discussion on November 5, 2009 at 11:46 am

04 November 2009

It is always a sad case when a leader of any organization leaves a party, but it has been clear for sometime now that Dr. Allan Boesak, for one reason or another, was not comfortable within the structures of COPE. We even heard, and is now confirmed by newspaper reports, that he was meeting with other political parties, in particular the ANC, while still in COPE. So we don’t for a minute believe that he was pushed, in fact he jumped.

What it is of concerns are the reasons Dr. Boesak gives for leaving COPE. If, for instance, he says the organizational structures are in disarray, was it not incumbent upon him as the leader to help build them. He never made any effort to a building block of this organization. Despite his other talents, he’s not a very strong in organisational person, what others would call a team player. Unfortunately this is what COPE needs at this formative stage.

Dr. Boesak was deliberately invisible within the structures of COPE to an extent that it became difficult to dispute suspicions that this was a deliberate ploy, done purposely to snub and undermining the provincial leadership. It made the chairperson’s position in the province difficult, having been put under tremendous stress to account for Dr. Boesak’s tendencies of not attending to organizational matters.

We tried several times as the PILG (Provincial Interim Leadership Group) to raise these concerns with him, to also afford him opportunity to explain himself. At some stage it became impossible to defend a high ranking member of the organization who misses more than nine provincial executive meeting on a row. All PILG members have in their possession the rules and codes of conduct. For instance, we recently contested by elections in areas (Maritzburg) we would have hoped he could have rallied some support for us, but did you see him there?

Our youth might have jumped the gun but there’s nothing factually wrong in what they said. These issues were often discussed within the organization. The procedural flaws of the youth are something the organization will deal with internally.

Other reasons Dr. Boeask raises about leadership squabbles and list irregularities are revisionist. It’s almost as if he’s copy pasting Simon Grindrod’s and others excuses, which on its own is of much concern. It gives an impression that they are operating from the same stable.

This organization (COPE) is in a process of self constructive criticism. The raised issues were noted and are being dealt with thoroughly. I’m sure Dr. Boesak has in his possession the report of the presidential probe on the list irregularities. For COPE leader to still be hampering on the issue, using it for ulterior motives, is disappointing.

Perhaps COPE didn’t meet up to Dr. Boesak’s high expectations. This sword cuts both ways, because COPE can also easily say that Dr. Boesak didn’t meet up to its expectations. But that’s water under the bridge now. Our challenge as committed COPE members is to build the structures, a duty we thought Dr. Boesak was going to play a big role on. As we know he recently chose to defer it. Of course we’ve our challenges but they are not insurmountable. The only thing rising here, within the organization, is hope and clarity about where we want to go.

As for the issue Dr. Boesak joining, or rejoining, other political parties, that is his constitutional right. We wish him well; and thank for the contribution he made on behalf of COPE at the Western Cape Legislature where, I’m sure, his voice will be sorely missed.

Issued by Mbulelo Ncedana
COPE MPL and Chairperson (Western Cape)

COPE YOUTH MOVEMENT CALLS WESTERN CAPE (YOUTH MOVEMENT) TO ORDER

In News on November 3, 2009 at 5:41 pm

Comments attributed to the COPE Youth Movement (Western Cape), led by Comrade Vuyisile Schoeman have been condemned by the national leadership of the Youth Movement. We can not allow a situation where leaders, particularly a person of Dr Boesak’s stature and standing to be humiliated publicly by young people using the banner of COPE Youth Movement.

They (COPEYM Western Cape) have been requested by the national youth leadership to withdraw the statement with immediate effect and apologise to Dr Boesak, failing which, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) of the youth would take further sanctions against COPEYM WC at its meeting this coming weekend. We cannot accept our national leaders and public representatives being humiliated publicly, as there are avenues in which comrades can raise pertinent matters without going public berating our leaders.

On behalf of the COPE Youth Movement, we apologise for the embarrassment caused to Dr Boesak, and we assure the public that what happened in the Western Cape, shall never be tolerated in our movement.

Issued by the Congress of the People Youth Movement
Contact: Sipho Nghona (Head: Communications) 083 591 2282


COPE one year on: Taking a look at ourselves

In Discussion on November 2, 2009 at 4:12 pm

A letter to all COPE Members of Parliament and Legislatures ahead of the Anniversary of the historic November 1 convention – A contribution to the Festival of ideas.

One year ago South Africans from all walks of life gathered together to give birth to a dream of an alternative government. Many characterized it as one of the most important moments since the historic 1994 elections. The story of how this convention came about has been written extensively by the media both here and abroad. That story was a defining moment for our politics, earning COPE the newsmaker of the year award.

Many people have argued that this moment will not repeat itself and that while it gave our political landscape a facelift, it is yet to impact significantly on the shape of our political life. There has been mixed reactions to COPE’s trajectory leading to its first showing at the April election and beyond. On the anniversary of that historic convention that was the seed of the birth of COPE it is appropriate to look back a little as well as cast our eyes beyond the horizon and ask COPE, quo vadis?

The vision of a political landscape that is not dominated by one party is burning bright. We must be honest though that Cope has been slow in creating a unique culture within itself. There is a challenge to rid ourselves of the impression of a pseudo ANC of some kind. We know that if we are to continue to appeal to a cross section of society and build our party on a platform of a new diversity, we need to focus on developing our own unique identity.

The heritage of struggle that is intertwined with the congress tradition is our hallmark– hence the choice of a name that resonates with the historic moment that saw the birth of the freedom charter. The Struggle Credentials of many of our members ensure that we can appeal to the majority of our people to whom such a merit is crucial. For the first time since 1994, a political opposition that cannot simply be dismissed as representing white interests has been born.

The fact that more than a million people were inspired to vote differently signals that many people now believe that the ANC is not the only viable political choice at the polls. Our presence and performance as legislators must serve to consolidate that reality.

The ANC itself has received a wakeup call by COPE’s mere existence. This in itself is not enough to dislodge them from power. The observation that COPE has battled to define itself in positive terms is not farfetched .It is a criticism that COPE is taking seriously. Ahead of our policy conference we have called on all our members to debate rigorously in a festival of ideas as to how we can turn this movement born out of hope, into practical policies that can impact on our people and result in a change of government in the near future. This does not for a moment mean that the issues we have taken up are bereft of policies. Our emphasis on the respect for the constitution and the rule of law, the professionalization of the civil service in order for government to serve our people, the eradication of poverty through economic intervention for participation in the economy – all these things are what form the basis of our policy trajectory.

We have always maintained that while a COPE government will introduce a new Agenda for change and hope, it will not seek to reinvent the wheel but to strengthen especially the implementation of good policies and the reintroduction of a value centered society.

One of the issues that has dominated reportage about COPE has been the issue of its leadership since its launch and ahead of the general elections. To its credit the Congress National Committee admitted to some shortcomings in the handling of the leadership issues within the party. It is a fact that the different roles of the interim leaders within COPE were not always clearly communicated. This often led to some among our members to mobilize and organize along personality lines. These are all part of the growing pains of a new party that will soon turn one year old. What we know today is that there is a commitment amongst our leaders and people to work together to correct those things that may hinder the progress of our movement.

The building of branches has taken off .This process needs to be strengthened. It is the most crucial exercise in consolidating our support base amongst South Africans. We know that our support base will not just grow in the traditional sense. We are faced with a challenge to mobilize differently, capturing people where they live and work. While there have been calls for an early conference it is only sensible that before we go there our structures are solid and rooted in the communities they serve. In the long run that is what will inspire confidence amongst South Africans, when they see COPE involved in their day to day lot. Similarly the completion of the establishment of our constituency offices will ensure that we live to our promise to open a channel between people and their representatives.

Our administration of this new political party that seeks to be modern is being greatly improved both at the head office and in parliament. We have a huge professional expertise sympathetic to COPE which we have to mobilize significantly as it stands ready to help modernize our party. Our relations with our own members need urgent attention. Members must have membership cards and regular communications from the organization about what it means to be a COPE member. We know that the building of a core of ambassadors is crucial for our political survival. Our member propaganda and political education programme requires urgent and dedicated attention.

Finally as the third biggest party in parliament and the official opposition in five legislatures we have firmly taken a view of being a patriotic opposition. At the same time we are preparing ourselves to be an alternative government. In the year of our existence the tone of public discourse has suddenly taken on values, the debate about our constitution has heightened and the discourse to fight corruption is on every leaders lips. None of this is an accident – it is the sign of the changing political paradigm and the fact of our contribution to that change.

This anniversary comes at a time when all the signs of what we warned against are resurfacing and taking root. Our communities are rising against incompetence and corruption. They are taking power in their hands and are yearning for hope. The auditor general’s report about the cavalier attitude towards the use of state resources by government departments and various other reports on the state of local government – all underline what we said right at the onset. There is a need to take another look at how we are governed as a people.

COPE has a huge responsibility as an alternative because of the despair with what is happening in the country. The communities are fed up and tired of waiting in vain for service delivery. There is a hunger for alternatives.

As we succeed in our policy articulation more people will be attracted to COPE not merely on the basis of what they are against but also on the basis of our progressive agenda. It is not a perfect political instrument that people seek – but an instrument that professes to be at their hands and faithful to their aspirations. It is this that Cope is determinedly evolving towards, to be an instrument in the hands of the people, for the transformation of their lot and that of their communities, for the best.

Dr. Mvume Dandala is COPE leader in parliament – this is an extract from a letter to Members of Parliament and Provincial legislatures on the occasion of marking the anniversary of the convention


COPE must fulfill its potential

In Editorials on November 1, 2009 at 8:10 pm

The first anniversary of the formation of the Congress of the People (COPE) has provided an opportunity to take stock of its impact on the political scene of the country. Most of the comments made so far are critical, some even going as far as singing dirges for COPE. Then there’s the usual revisionists on stilts, often with cloying intellectual gad-flyism. Still, there are those that are constructive in their critique which should elicit more than clucking and hedging from COPE leadership.

To understand the impact COPE has had on the political landscape of our country we have to recall what made COPE’s emergence seem like a breath of fresh air, providing new hope for South Africans of all colour. COPE came at time when signs were becoming clear that we had failed in our project of national reconciliation. And there were disturbing tendencies of disregard for our constitution and democratic principles by the ruling party, like the unconstitutional recall of the president of the country.

During our last election we saw a situation where by most people voted mostly along racial lines, going back to pre 1994 laagers, which confirmed one of COPE’s founding concerns that the racial groups of our country were again becoming polarised.
In recent weeks we’ve seen further evidence that the situation has not changed from that which prevailed around the time COPE was formed. If anything, things are getting worse. The current administration threatens to change the constitution at a drop of a hat, in what they’ve learnt to term ‘material changes to the law’, to accommodate their erratic needs and power mongering designs.

Closer investigation almost always reveals hidden agendas of wanting to centralise power and create a monster style of governance that is micro-managed by Luthuli House. There are myriad examples: from wanting to merge security services, to abolishing provincial governance, to promoting a populist style of mine nationalisation intended to benefit the elites and cronies in the name of the people.

One of the founding principles of COPE is an improvement to our electoral system, to provide the means for intensifying our democracy. This, COPE said, should be done by allowing people to make a direct electoral choice for the State President, their Premiers, etc, as with their local ward councillors. As we saw recently in Lekwa Local Municipality, Standerton, the ruling party instead still regards government representatives as deployees of Luthuli House.

This is probably why they sent the likes of Malema, who holds no elected government position, to dissolve the local government structure mafia style. What is clear that the set precedent will henceforth be followed; whenever there’s something perceived to be wrong, “a band of select individuals ” will seat in Luthuli House and decide who to recall with little or no regard to the democratic principles. Decisions made by the unknown few, are foisted down on the population, regardless of the impact or consequence.

It has meanwhile emerged that within the Tripartite Alliance factions use the so called “service delivery” protests for their own power struggles. In fact most of the time they instigate them as means to advance their careers and to settle political scores. Even the so called local government audit is done on a factionalist and caucus basis. If you belong to a right faction and can caucus sufficiently within the party you are immune from being fired no matter how incompetent.

On the other hand your competence won’t save you if you belong to a wrong or no faction, as was the case within the Lekwa Municipality, where independent surveys showed it to be the fourth best performing municipality in that province. The ruling party’s local municipality audit has become a final witch-hunt to remove those associated with a wrong faction, and then used to dispense patronage to those of a right one. The process attaches next to no meaning to translating people’s service delivery expectations into tangible results.

COPE was formed as a concerted protest against this backdrop of incompetence, cronyism, impotent governance, ineffectual structures, venal politicians and local municipalities that have been bankrupted by mismanagement and corruption. Nothing much has changed: the ANC government still uses “cadre deployment” that lead to government incompetence. If anything they have become bold in aiming to achieve their goals by persuasion, cohesion or repression.

Much more evidence can be put forward to demonstrate the fact that the conditions that led to the formation of COPE have not disappeared, if anything they’ve become worse and more apparent. Why then do some people act as if COPE is on the verge of extinction? Only history can give a satisfactory answer to this question but we can tease a general overview.

COPE as a political party (as opposed to the social movement that went to the Sandton Convention) is still between worlds, standing on a historical process. A political historical process, agency and structure, is always a complex interplay between popular mobilization and civil resistance (those who want to protect and intensify the gains of our democracy). COPE has so far proven to be weak in grassroots political mobilisation. It enjoys the sympathy of civil resistance.

COPE has failed in linking political action with community activism, thus to provide a good antidote to overtly populists constructions of a decaying Liberation Movement, whose lack of principle is helping to rip the moral fabric out of our politics (imagine how many Malema clones there’ll be in 5 years time).

COPE’s lack of a clear identity and the slightly complex concept of progressive politics is at the heart of its failure to appeal at a grassroots level. The idea of progressive politics is an alien political method in African politics. To most African people it smacks of naïve idealism that is informed by technocratic politics, devoid of historical realities. This is probably why it has no appeal to the majority of South Africans who are unable to link it to their immediate experiences.

To be readily understood COPE then will have to talk more about communitarian issues and align itself strongly with social movements. These are the politics of the future, not party politics. COPE needs to find a way of connecting politics with the well-being of families, neighbourhoods, community, nation, and so on. Relevance in politics is achieved through a mixture of traditional forms of values with people’s progressive social spirit and democratic political principles.

Communitarianism, as an ideological mould, can be applied to a number of philosophical presumptions. Hence communitarian politics would be a brandable identity for COPE, with an added advantage of affording opportunity to make its message broad without being vague. The advantage with classic communitarism is traditional and philosophic underpinnings that are serious enough for those with ethical /religious/intellectual grounding, thus can take many forms of cultural and social visage. It is also attentive enough to those still attached to romantic traditions without being naive, shallow or populist. It sees virtue and equality as mutually compatible, that is when the playing field is democratic enough.

The reality of the matter is that most South African thinkers, black and white, are despondent with the current nature of our politics, what one of them termed the moral busting barbarianism. Our progressive communities too are dumfounded with how quickly our politics got derailed our embedded social values.

COPE has to capture this communitarian spirit, channel it properly with vibrant critique of government failures to forge a new path based in constitutional values, civic trust, patriotism, national inclusiveness, etc. The Tripartite Alliance has clearly taken the route of shallow politics, of misleading by perception (saying the right things while doing the opposite). In short, COPE needs to be the authentic voice of sustainable solutions—based on deeper values and political substance. It must be a beckon of what in Rousseau’s terms is called a Well-Ordered Society. Incidentally it was Rousseau who argued that citizens cannot be made to love a society (party) that has lost its way or become corrupt.

COPE’s political space, for many reasons, most of which are historical, is the only one set to grow where others regressing, and some reach their natural ceiling. This is why it is somewhat surprising to hear people sing dirges for COPE as if in the past year it has been punching above its weight. If anything, COPE has not lived up to its potential yet. Yes it has its share of problems but they are not insurmountable as the alarmist headline grabbers would have us believe. The public at large is slowly waking up to the concerns raised by COPE. The party just needs to be more vocal and clear about its message, more consistent in following its principles, and rid itself of leadership squabbles. It must offer a believable alternative and depth that is set to take the political maturity of the country to the next step. Then its fire will flare quicker than anyone is able to fathom.