I have known for a long time that the SABC continues to function as a well-oiled propaganda machine on taxpayer money — despite the fall of apartheid. However, it was recently confirmed that the so-called “Paper for the People”, the Sunday Times, has its fair share of misrepresenting and twisting the facts. Whether intentionally or due to sheer incompetence, when journalists fail to provide factual, objective — or at least neutral — news coverage it is not only doing “the people” a disservice, but it’s also unethical.
To be fair, some of Cope’s leaders and members have not been shy to provide the media with sensational behaviour to feed off of, but that does not warrant dis- and misinformation by certain broadcasting and publication agencies.
Having attended the imbizo in Soweto, I intentionally watched SABC news to see how they’d spin it. According to the SABC, the meeting “ended in chaos”, when Terror Lekota successfully and to great applause addressed the remaining members packing the DOCC/YMCA Hall in Orlando East (Video footage can be viewed here).
However the most shameless twisting of the facts was by the Sunday Times.
Shilowa supporters were not blocked from entering the hall (Photos can be viewed here) and rival factions did not threaten to attack one another as the police only removed those members who continued to disrupt the meeting. Additionally, these members — those waving “We Hate Terror” and “Shilowa 4 President” placards — were reprimanded and called to order two hours before the meeting could actually take off.
More importantly is the twisting of Phillip Dexter’s words by the Sunday Times: “Cope MP Phillip Dexter, a staunch Lekota supporter, losing patience with the group chanting anti-Lekota slogans, pointed towards them and shouted: “Voetsek! Down with hooligans, Down.”
Phillip, after having been introduced by the chairperson, took the microphone and started with the usual “Amandla!” to which the crowd responds with the expected “Awethu”. He then proceeded to shout “Down with hooligans”, the crowd thunderously responded “down!”, followed by “Voetsek hooligans”, answered by “voetsek!”
It should also be seen in the context of speaker after speaker decrying ill-discipline as contrary to the founding principles of the organisation, and Dexter has become known for not holding his tongue.
Finally, the Sunday Times incorrectly stated that Lekota called the meeting, when it was legitimately organised by Soweto members, inviting the entire CNC and giving their platform to speak, including Shilowa and Lobe, despite their blatant untruthful statements to the contrary.
This did not, however, stop Cope Gauteng provincial secretary Mbulelo Bara from allegedly withdrawing R33 000 to fund the efforts (and potentially alcohol) of those disrupting the meeting (see here).
I know the party is not without its fair share of self-induced misfortune, but that does not warrant blatant lies by the media. Sadly, however, the supporters of Shilowa have been the main culprits in fuelling the fire.
Not to mention the existence of documentary evidence and witnesses to attest to Shilowa’s alleged illegal use of Cope funds and conclusion of financial agreements without proper authorisation as the Sunday Times (this time correctly) and Beeld reported.
“According to documents leaked to the Sunday Times, Shilowa instructed First National Bank — just two weeks before the aborted national congress at St Georges hotel in May — not to allow any member, except himself, access to party parliamentary accounts.
According to Cope MPs who spoke to the Sunday Times, there has never been any meeting that gave Shilowa powers over Cope’s financial accounts.
They say they were shocked to discover that Shilowa, and his personal assistant Jen de Wet, were the only people authorised to inquire about party funds.
Sadly the most indicting and embarrassing behaviour has been exhibited by those who support Shilowa. This includes racist, homophobic rants about white boys like myself failing to understand township politics as a right-wing AWB member, making death threats and God only knows what else.
This by the very same Floyd Tshegare who spewed the hogwash on my previous post. It is people like these who have questioned Lekota’s attempts at reconciliation after Terreblanche’s murder, decrying Malema when those who support his deputy have been equally inspired by Anele Mda — a vocal Shilowa supporter — from the “token white bitch” fame (in reference to Deidre Carter).
The embarrassing and hypocritical behaviour of Shilowa’s supporters appear to have no limit. Denouncing on the one hand Terror as “president of the courts” and yet running to the courts themselves, notably the Gauteng chairperson John Ngcebetsha who wants to interdict the party president from arranging a sitting of the party’s highest decision-making body, the CNC.
Despite the spoiling tactics of those who support Shilowa, specifically the general secretary Charlotte Lobe (who continued to obstruct the attempts at convening a CNC meeting), Cope and its leaders have been progressively addressing the woes of the party and heading back to its members.
I have been informed that the congress working committee held a quorating meeting on Monday and installed Deidre Carter as deputy general secretary, despite Lobe and Shilowa reportedly being in Cope House at the time. Subsequently a CNC meeting to chart the way forward has been scheduled for this coming Friday, hoping to discuss unity and cohesion leading to the September conference and next year’s local government elections.
Lekota successfully concluded the Soweto ymbizo to a packed hall, and then addressed a crowd of 500 to 600 youth movement members in Polokwane according to sources in attendance. This was revealed to me in confidence, despite alleged attempts by those who support Shilowa to pay local Cope leaders R40 000 to deliver the support of the province to their candidate.
As the net closes in on those who conduct themselves in this manner, they are running increasingly scared and becoming more and more desperate, resorting to interesting, unsubstantiated, illogical, incoherent and totally embarrassing behaviour.
tm
A tree is judged bnty the fruit it bears, and unfortunately rotten apples are fruit too, and one of them spoils the entire bunch, sadly implicating Shilowa, Terror and the entire organisation. As the Shilowa Express turns into a train wreck it seems that those who have been comfortably on it are hell be on aking the entire organisation and the hopes and aspirations of 1,3-million voters into oblivion with the.
Despite the unfortunate disruptions by those carrying “Shilowa 4 President” and “We hate Terror” placards, I had a rather enjoyable experience in Soweto and surrounds. Now if Cope will just get back to basics and refocus the organisation in its entirety on the real issues.
Cope is such a joke. I enjoy reading news about it and laugh…
Sunday Times is a sensationalist gutter rag these days. Thanks for the rebuttal. Not because I support COPE but because it’s important for us to get fair balanced news. Sadly, most sunday papers in S.A. are just like the Sunday Times. It’s sad sad sad but it would interesting if more people looked out for misreporting in media as you’ve done.
Shilowa has been enjoying good coverage in the media and yet he is the one who is causing problems in the party. The final straw was when he was allowed to spew hogwash on how parliament is acting against its rules by allowing the president to freeze COPE’s parliamentary funds in the SABC yesterday and this morning.
I salute Marius for coming forward to dispute these misrepresentations of facts on COPE. We need men and women who are willing to stand up courageously for the truth and only for the truth.
Cut the BS, Marius. The clowns at COPE doesn’t need the media to expose their shenigans. They are doing good, all by themselves.
The evidence for Shilowa and Lobe’s invitation to the meeting in Soweto is found here:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/7/22/1287129/Facebook%20_%20Preddy%20Mothopeng_%20PROGRAMME%2026%20JUNE%202010%20OF%20SOWETO%20IMBIZO_%20MOVING.pdf
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/7/22/1287129/Facebook%20_%20Preddy%20Mothopeng_%20Press%20Release%20of%20COPE%20Greater%20SOWETO%20dated%20_28-.pdf
I don’t know why the links were removed. Also, there are typing errors in the document which weren’t in the draft. Notably “ymbizo” and “tm” randomly showing up, and “judged BY the fruit”.
Marius
You’re no different from other self-serving factionist power hungry cope primitive leaders. You’re one bitter young man, i feel sorry for you.
When the role of the media during the formation of cope was raised, you shikotas stood up & defended the media, because your thin slice of the bread at the time was buttered from one front page to the classified section.
Lest you forgot, this is what your former member (Mlungisi Hlongwane, 26 March 2009 ) had to say when he left shikota back to the ANC, and i know for sure you’ll also be saying the same thing back to the only progress party in the country, the ANC:
6. THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA
The pining of many in South African society for a worthwhile opposition party to the African National Congress (ANC), particularly by many members of the electronic and print media has resulted in the parachuting of COPE into the public eye. Over time in many ways COPE has developed into something of media sweetheart, and has been the recipient of favourable media coverage.
Whilst being in COPE it became obvious that many in the media were not objective in their coverage of COPE. The media’s subjective role did not assist in COPE in critically tackling the above challenges, which one maintains that by and large the media were aware of these challenges.
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pr/2009/pr0326a.html
I could not agree more with you Marius, Sunday Times is a dogy publication.
Why would anyone even bother with Cope? They’re sooo last year.
Ban Cope and arrest Lekota
I couldn’t agree with you more on how the media delibarately misinforms, especially where certain political parties are involved.
This all goes back to what Thami Mazwai once brought up; that it’s impossible for the media to be objective.
Don’t bother reading the Sunday Times, they’re the worst kind of gutter journalists. If I could read Afrikaans I would tend to think the same of the Beeld, judging by the debates I have with my Afrikaans speaking friends.
It is important to have these debates amongst ourselves first, as opposed to relying on the media to be a proponent of debate.
Don’t you find it funny that the so called intellectuals like Sipho Seete and Xolela Mangcu have suddenly gone to ground?
Truth is, they were paid to peddle certain mistruths and hide behind their ‘objectivity’ as supposed intellectuals.
So, bottom line is that:
a) The media is concocting the leadership tussles in Cope?
b) The organization (COPE) is in such a good standing, that it is the media’s jaundiced imagination that the conference was chaotically postponed for an indefinite date?
c) Everyone likes so much at COPE that, even your very blog speaks voluminous wonders about every leader of COPE, with clearly no factional interests? And that the opposite is just the readers’ jaundiced imagination?
d) The conference (elective-turned-policy-and-then-again-back-to-elective) that did not take place was due to the leaders being so coherent in articulation of COPE position, and so loving one another that a conference would have dismantled that glue that held every leader together?
Cope must be so proud of you!
To be fair, you sound boringly cliched and predictably annoying just like your counterpart in the rival Cope-faction group (JJ Tabane).
As an aspiring political scientist [perhaps] it behooves you to acknowledge that a tainted product is not going to sell. Of course you may well belong to that core of political aspirants who believe that you can fool all of the people all of the time. However i think we have pushed that button a step too far.
Fact: COPE cannot cope with its own divided self… COPE is a waste of space as a result. Those who supported it feel humiliated and will quietly withdraw. Those who thought t was a screen to do a smoke and mirrors job for the apparently faction ridden ruling party have been affirmed.
The party appears to have no purpose other than, like the rest it proposes to be ANC lite. Is it a virtue that the leadership is faction ridden…
If you want to waste your time selling a lemon that is your right… ours is to pass on, the product is as tainted as the melamine loaded milk the Chinese passed off as kosher.
As the man says on TV… Keep it real.
Look, even without any dubious media conspiracies, COPE is roughly as popular as herpes. That’s the problem with speed-growing a hothouse plant and then transplanting it to the wild – it lacks roots.
Pity, because I’d like to see an additional viable opposition party here in SA that isn’t a mere white middle-class mouthpiece. But it seems COPE isn’t it.
Marius is quite rich coming from you to pronounce that media is feeding sensetional news and dividing your party,. ANC has long stated this fcats and because the odds were n your favor you saw nothing wrong except to attack JZ an immoral and ANC as raddarless. I will not listen to you, if I were you, I will let the medicine go down my throat, or is too bitter to swallow now? As for Terror and Sam, they are power mongers who will do anything and everything in their power to remain political elite, watch the space chine……
where are JJ tabane and sentletse during this hour of cope’s need? R they considering going back home to anc.abothathekile.
Marius, my efforts to rescue COPE from iron fists of ruthless opportunists like you and your handlers (Terror-Smuts-Dexter alliance) is unsolicited by Mbhazima Shilowa. In fact I don’t even interact with cde Anele or cde Sam or anybody. You on the hand are on first name basis with your handlers. Clearly you have a lot to benefit if they prevail in their quest for party power. I, on the hand I am just a small fry who dares to question your Mr. squeaky clean persona.
I called you a ‘Son of a Boer’ the other day, not trying to be derogatory but simply stating a fact. You can call me “son of a Tswana” if you like. Don’t be so touchy about who you are.
Anyway, why are you complaining about the media? Mail & Guardian gives you ample space to spread factionalist venom. Remember Marius, you still have to convince the electorate that you are the real deal come next year. Your opponents are setting up tent next to your base. They are gunning for 1 million members by end of 2010. You better be ready for what is coming to you!
Marius
Shock, horror – newspaper prints inaccurate story, gets its facts and opinions all mixed up – lol!
Here is a newsflash – they are not discriminating specifically against COPE – they are equal opportunity incompetents.
You cannot for a second reasonably compare the outright bias of the SABC with the poor quality and possibly biased reporting of some newspapers.
SAFM in the morning is a particular joke – it is nothing more than a Goebbels – like (Oops – Godwins law?) platform for Government Ministers and their lackeys to state their case.
Sorry, Marius, but COPE is nothing more than the ANC in drag – run by a few disaffected ANC malcontents who are hacked off at losing their place at the feeding trough.
If Lekota and Shilowa want more than an ounce of credibility with me – especially regarding their “opposition” to corruption, then let them tell us all they know aout the arms deal (Lekota was Minister of Defence) and Gautrain contracts (Shilowa).
The court cases are about to start arising from the gautrain contractors that had to pay late delivery penalty fees in terms of the contract clauses (delays caused mostly by national and local government red tape and bungling over land acquisition amongst other things).
Tax payers and rate payers fasten your seatbelts – it is going to be a rough ride!
As I refuse to live in a wonder land wherein daily events brings about endless shock to its inhibitants, I suppose any critical thinker should have foreseen all that characterised COPE then as is the case even currently – Cope was and is always destined to be what you see of it now – stop wondering and blaming people
Interestingly, in your article you comfortably made similar claims made in the ANCYL Limpopo Conference that police were called and only removed people who were disrupting the proceeding – now we ask: is it correct for police to remove disrupters of political meetings in all circumstances except that which involves Malema – try to think a bit harder here
Sensible people know very well Sunday Slimes lost the plot a long time ago.
Few people believe the twaddle they peddle every Sunday.
They would twist anything to make the headlines.
It occurred to me very early on in COPES existence, that it would be very easy and very true to character, if the ANC were to infiltrate the new organisation with spoilers.
Is it possible that Shilowa was turned, or even planted? Not such an unlikely theory. Takes cadre deployment to a whole new level.
marius, marius, marius. If you want to be in politics you will need thicker skin than this. Moaning about “the media” is cop(e) out. The bottom line is that Mbeki Lite is imploding for the same reasons the ANC is at war with itself – careerism is the political objective of both. Instead of attacking the media, maybe try and get COPE to run like a party, not an ego fest. But then that would require an actual plan to win elections, which COPE is incapable of. You n eed to be able to choose a leader without chaos before we voters are dumb enough to give you the keys to the house.
The funeral is over, the mourners have gone home. Fill in the grave, people. It’s over.
Although some of the hostile points above are knee-jerk reactions, this should be taken seriously. COPE has destroyed its credibility. It’s all very well to blame Shilowa and his sleazy friends, but who let them into the party in the first place, and why have they become so dominant in it? It seems obvious that a pathetic low-level careerism is rampant in the party. Does the party have any plans to eliminate this? There is no sign of it.
Cope leaders, just like your scoundrel former comrades in the ANC, you have forever lost the precious vote I entrusted you with!!
The pathetic polital leadership spewing out of the ruling kleptocracy has driven me into the laager of the great white drama queen. I shall vote for Helen Zille’s party with great reluctance, and then stab myself in the eye with the pencil!
This is disappointing. U r doing what u r accusing da media of doing…
Cope like Jesus’s donkey – Zuma
2008-11-19 23:02
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Carien du Plessis
Polokwane – Those who have broken away from the ANC are like the donkey on which, according to the Bible, Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
Jacob Zuma, leader of the ANC, used this metaphor on Thursday when he addressed hundreds of Cosatu workers in a packed hall in Polokwane as part of his early election campaign in Limpopo.
He said there was a story in the Bible about a “lucky donkey” on whose back Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
“The people were waiting for the Son of Man who was on the donkey. The donkey did not understand it, and thought the songs of praise were for him,” he said.
According to Zuma, the donkey later tried to return to Jerusalem on its own in order to once again experience that moment of glory, but the people chased it away.
In the same way the Congress of the People (Cope) leaders will find they are nothing without the ANC, Zuma said.
Snakeskin
He said the ANC should not only fight for a two-thirds majority, but for a “three-thirds majority”.
This will enable the ANC to implement its policies more easily, Zuma said.
Zuma also compared Cope’s leaders to snakeskin that remained behind after the winter, while the snake -
Marius, it’s all good and well that you tell us who is wrong and who is not within the ANCOPE, but please note that Thought Leader should not be used to promote policitical parties, Thought Leader should be about social commentary and a neutral one nog all if there is a such a thing.
I know you support Terror Lekota. But at some point Mr. Lekota will have to come to the realization that Mr. Shilowa has more support on the ground. One can only run to the courts for so long.