Comments on: Should Mbeki publicly endorse Cope but remain an ANC member?

By: Khaya Dlanga

Khaya Dlanga — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:17:46 +0000

@ Philosopher

If you look at the 4th paragraph you will note that what you have said has been covered. Let me quote, “Although he endorsed an individual, it was essentially an endorsement of the Democratic Party’s platform.”

By: Philosopher

Philosopher — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:33:21 +0000

The only thing I fail to understand on your article is why do you equate supporting/endorsing a presidential candidate with endorsing a party!!!Surely Powell endorsed Barack as his prefered candidate not his party.

I would understand your point if you say Mbeki endorses Lekota/Shilowa for presidency instead of Zuma.

By: Eric S Doms

Eric S Doms — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Good post.

I especially like the way you ended it with loving your country more than your party.

And who knows, the elections are still 2 and a half months away………there is still time for Thabo to come clean

Time will tell……

By: pasile

pasile — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:26:15 +0000

Public discourse in this country has really degenarated- this is what Goeth had in mind when he opined about infatile disorders!
COPE is antithetical to everything that Mbeki stood for. Their employment of barouque liberal verbiage is not only analogous to Mbeki’s historicity but the TOTAL opposite! I know it pleases the intellectual dwarfs to propagandize that Mbeki is one of them. He will die an ANC member inspite of all the grave disagreements.

By: Phindile Sodawe

Phindile Sodawe — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:43:18 +0000

Interesting article indeed Khaya. Pity we have a very long way to go.

By: Never, Again

Never, Again — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:42:23 +0000

I don’t care what the consequence may be to Mr. Mbeki and all those currently in the ANC who are aware how devoid of substance the party has become, and yet stay there. It’s a shame when people know the wrong thing they are doing or are in, and yet fearful to stand for what they believe in. Many members of the ANC have already faced this fear, conquered it and defected to COPE.
I hope common sense will down on all current members of the ANC who still think what the party has been saying and doing in the past 10 months is good for the country. I will vote for COPE, partly to acknowledge their guts, partly to protest against the ANC but mainly to support a party with the potential to be great for all South Africans.

By: Siphiwo Qangani with kangaroos

Siphiwo Qangani with kangaroos — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:14:08 +0000

Siestog! Who cares???

By: hans

hans — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:39:18 +0000

Khaya

You would do well not compare Mr Mbeki with Powel, an American, if you have any grasp of the passion that Mbeki has for Pan Africanims or Afro-centrism. Perhaps your choice of Mr Mbeki in this blog is telling us something we don’t know about him. Your example of Mr Mbeki aside…

Why do you (and other people) always think we have to take our line from Americans? Are you so obsessed with Americans that we must bench-mark ourselves on everything that happens over there?

You tried too hard to raise controversy through Powel’s behaviour forgtting that the world is so messed up today largely because Powel’s behaviour was a true reflection of America’s political bahaviour internationally – governed by opportunism and not morals and principles.

Any principled political person either stays and work hard to change the things he/she does not like about the party OR leaves for a party that best represent what he/she likes. No prostitution!

You cannot eat your cake and still have it unless if you’re Powel or an American. But maybe what you are proposing is what the complaint is about – what COPE cadres are already doing – remaining in the ANC just so that they can sabotage it, a very unethical and provocative thing to do. Hit the road if you’re gatvol and openly work for something you really believe in! That’s what you’ve done yourself, Khaya. But now you want Mr Mbeki to do something you despised, how belitling!

By: Phillipa

Phillipa — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:59:11 +0000

So who was getting married and why did they invite Julius and what’s-his name to the wedding?

By: Beaver

Beaver — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:58:39 +0000

Why on earth would someone remain a “loyal” member of their party while actually voting for someone else? Where’s the loyalty in that? A man must be strong enough to follow his convictions. It’s absurd – you can’t have your bread buttered on both sides. If Mbeki were to publicly endorse COPE he’d have to step down first from the ANC, otherwise he’d be expelled (rightly so). This is one of the reasons why I hated floor-crossing so much.