The origins of democracy can be traced back to ancient Greece and it was a Greek philosopher, Aristotle (384BC — 322BC), who said that “the basis of a democratic state is liberty” After many years of persistent tyranny that engulfed Greece in the period leading towards to the 6th century, the people of Athens reclaimed their freedom; founded the world’s first democratic state and brought an end to aristocratic rule. Democracy as a political form of government has undergone a period of protracted evolution and continues to evolve even in the 21st century. The essence of democracy and what it ought to represent was aptly captured by Abraham Lincoln, a former president of the United States, when he concluded his memorable Gettysburg Address in 1863, during the American civil war, by saying: “This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Lincoln in his address invoked the principles of human equality and liberty espoused by the 1776 Declaration of Independence, which afforded citizenry of the United States an opportunity to change the course of history and define their own destiny as they imagined it.
We as South Africans hold dear the principle of democracy given our unfortunate history of Afrikaner nationalism and consequential violations of human rights and brutal oppression of the majority. It was by consequence of such history that our national Constitution enshrined a plethora of freedoms in the Bill of Rights. The attainment of these freedoms came about as a result of many sacrifices and the endless flow of blood of ordinary men and women who fought gallantly against the repressive system of apartheid. They are freedoms which we wish to guard jealously.
At the time when the Pirates of Polokwane, thoroughly inebriated by victory, threatened the very founding principles of our democratic state, there were those who revolted and portrayed themselves as defenders of such principles. Rallying behind them was an unsuspecting multitude of men and women who believed in what appeared to be a noble cause. During the course of time and as political events began to unfold and the false veneer of respectability began to wear off, it was natural for those wearing deceitful masks to begin suffocating behind them and slowly began exposing their dubious constitution to the rest of us. The Congress of the People (“Cope”) was conceived during such inauspicious times. It momentarily carried the hopes and aspirations of society to unimaginable levels but never lived up to their collective expectations. Cope failed primarily because among those with genuine interest to strengthen our democratic state, were political charlatans whose pursuit of self-interests and preservation of their political careers preceded the real purpose of its existence. For some the formation of Cope was the easiest pathway to resuscitate what would have been a political career enduring its last throes of death.
The respect for democratic processes and its outcome is the solid foundation upon which true democracy is built. In the absence of such unconditional respect what remains can only be a vulgarised form of democracy intended to serve the narrow interests of those who wish to pre-determine democratic outcomes. The failure of leadership within Cope was highlighted by some electing to campaign against decisions which they were part of, because to remain principled and uphold such decisions would not have agreed with their sinister agendas. It emerged subsequent to the decision to hold the first Cope elective conference that some of its senior leadership came to the realisation that the fulfilment of the promise to hold democratic elections may just squander their chances of re-election. These same men (and women) who had initially sold themselves as champions of democracy immediately embarked on despicable efforts to derail Cope processes of democracy. Some openly granted interviews to the media and claimed that Cope was not ready for the elective conference, while failing to inform the public that the real reason for making such absurd pronouncements was because they were refused a guarantee to particular positions of leadership. Such claims of Cope not being ready were made while more than 2 000 political branches had been launched across all nine provinces and were ready to democratically elect the leadership as initially agreed at the inaugural Bloemfontein congress in 2008 and subsequently at the Congress National Committee (CNC) meeting in 2010. The date for the elective conference was set for end of May 2010.
While negotiations for securing guarantees for positions of leadership failed, the CNC resolved to hold a policy as opposed to an elective conference. A decision which political careerists welcomed because it afforded them an opportunity to immediately rush to launch branches which would at least provide them with such “guarantee” of leadership. The events that unfolded from the beginning of May 2010, when Cope branches converged in Pretoria to hold the congress, serve to hold true what the Greek philosopher Plato (428BC — 348BC) meant when he said that “dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty”.
It had become blatantly apparent that the self-appointed champions of democracy had trumpeted the notion of “defence of democracy” as a false guise to pursue their own narrow interests and preserve their political careers. The quorum of the congress in Pretoria was formed by over two-thirds of launched branches, which legitimised the constitution of that congress and empowered all delegates representing launched branches to pass binding resolutions on Cope and its leadership. The president of Cope, Terror Lekota, along with members of the CNC, was present when credentials of the congress were adopted. Lekota opened the congress and tabled his political report, which further confirmed his agreement to the legitimacy of the sitting of the congress. One would have ordinarily expected that Lekota along with his supporters in the CNC, as self-styled defenders of democracy, would attempt to practice what they preached and uphold the basic principle of democracy — by the people, for the people — which in the case of Cope translated to — by the members, for organisation. Upon the resolution of the CNC to convert the congress from an elective to a policy conference, the overwhelming majority of members, representing duly launched and constituted branches, rejected that resolution and resolved to hold an elective conference as was originally intended. Basic logic would suggest that if delegates are good enough to make important policy decisions, similarly they would be good enough to elect the leadership of the party.
The decision by the delegates to overturn the resolution of the CNC obviously threatened a number of political careers and those political careerists ran to the courts to seek an urgent interdict to prevent delegates from exercising their democratic right to elect leaders as mandated by their respective branches. The court interdict was granted under suspicious circumstances and the democratic process was effectively derailed by those “champions of democracy”. Again when delegates unanimously rejected Lekota’s leadership by passing the motion of no confidence, he along with Phillip Dexter ran to the courts to have the wishes of the members of Cope overturned. These unfortunate court battles exposed a disturbing truth about the motives of some individuals and their preparedness to vulgarise democracy through the courts and offend those very principles upon which the organisation they impose themselves was founded. The Lekota faction’s post-Pretoria programme of action clearly stipulates the deviousness of its branch of politics.
The proponents of democracy generally, if not always, should proceed from the common premise that theirs are noble intentions to represent the common will of the people. These very people within Cope who today still portray themselves as defenders of democracy cannot by any stretch of the imagination claim to represent the will of the members when they abuse institutions of justice to oppose that will. The evolution of democracy since the 6th century in Greece should not mean evolution towards vulgarising democracy as seen within Cope, but towards a system that is effectively and truly propelled and shaped by the will of the people, by the people, for the people and with the people. Cope had proposed electoral reform, which, if implemented, would pave a way for the direct election of the president of the republic by members of the public. It is a system that would give members of the public a direct say in terms of which individuals can occupy the office of the president. If Cope is to be taken seriously — impossible to imagine given the current shenanigans — it should practice what it preaches. The electoral reform can begin within Cope itself by discarding the practices it inherited from the ANC.
Mmmmm. Yeah, whatever.
hi Sentle, good piece my friend. Its been while indeed. The unfortunate thing about all this Cope saga is that there are two sides that are pointing the figure one to the other. obviously you are on Shilowa’s faction, reading from your comments. It is interesting that you guys left the ANC for similar things, and worse, that are happening now in Cope. For learned and clever people the likes of you, nkgopotse etc, I’d imagine that you know by now that politics is a dirty game. it is the survival of the fittest, you always have to pick a side and hope that it is a winning side. however, in an event that you dont win you dont run away, you need to regroup, correct your wrongs and go for it again. I hope you guys (both Shilowa and Lekota factionalists)realise the real reasons why the Cope was formed. The reason that was fed to us of defending democracy (crap), was not the truth but power, positions in government, income, careerism etc. were the reasons as you are saying it yourself and tabane has also been saying it a lot lately. I agree with the assertion that we need a strong opposition that can keep the ANC on edge but the way Cope was formed was just out. wrong people, angry, disgruntled, and vengeful. this is certainly not correct way to start. Cope’s demise was always gonna happen, the question was when.
A brilliant piece, also sheds insight into what led to the implosion of COPE. But does this mean there really is no alternative? Where does it leave the man on the street?
I read this, starting from Aristotle and the Greeks right up to inebriated Polokwane somethings and I lost interest. Try to get to the point quicker next time.
Hm. So, your interpretation is that it was all the other guys’ fault and you and your friends will sort everything out.
And their interpretation is that it was all the fault of you and your friends, and the other guys will sort everything out.
Are you actually aware of what utter nitwits you make each other look? And as to reconstituting CoPe, just how do you think you’re going to do that? Not even the best Bostik can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
992 branches are disqualified from 2100
And if you want to know who did the audit, I shall remind you that Mluleki George was in charge of it.
It was also rumoured that Cope’s interim leadership in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Free State were unhappy with the party’s audit of branches, which has reportedly resulted in scores of branches being disqualified
According to senior party members, Mpumalanga and Limpopo have threatened to pull out of the national conference because of the “unfair” audit process.
According to sources, almost 90 percent of Cope members are backing Lekota ahead of Shilowa.
Cope members point fingers at the party’s head of organising, Mluleki George, who also heads the auditing process.
“Mluleki George has disqualified 212 of Limpopo’s 365 branches. Mpumalanga may also not participate in the national conference and the leadership is nervous of telling these provinces that their branches have not made it.
The Free State delegates number 162 from a total of 2 052 members.
Less than 50% of the party’s branches in all provinces, barring the Eastern Cape, were accredited to attend and he raised questions about a surge in party membership in the North West.
The province wanted a complete audit of the party’s membership to be conducted by an independent body.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Cope-in-FS-to-boycott-congress-20100518
http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=3571&fArticleId=vn20100510043406296C528752
LS
The point is a properly consituted conference was held and properly launched branches attended. The process of accreditation of branches was overseen by Lekota’s right hand man, Thozamile Botha and Neville Mompati. What made the conference to be an illegitimate conference as nothing untorward was done? Please answer this question. The facts are very clear only those who want to run away from the truth who want to pretend there is a complex puzzle to this mess
Sentlentse
I still have one unanswered question and that is do we need COPE. Should it not be left to die then people can form political party that is based on real tangible issues. Be it educational reform, culture, social reform, conservatism, immigration, economic growth, etc. I do not believe in the formation of opposition parties, I believe in prospective/alternative governing parties. alternative,
COPE is for starters a stupid name, which only those who believe that the ANC was the liberator of South Africa instead of being a significant vehicle of the struggle would adopt. It ignores the very damaging essence of popular culture, hegemony etc. It is a manifestation of laziness to come up with such a stupid name which is tantamount to calling yourselves Faction.
The truth of the matter is that there are a myriad of issues to rally around for the good of the country yet there is little evidence of that happening. It will take hard word not T-shirts and certainly less singing and dancing to start an alternative governing party.
Meant hard work
The entire first part of your article is unecessary. We all know where democracy originates from, and if some don’t then they need to sort that out.
COPE failed becuase like so many other organisations from the ANCYL to the various parastatals, members are more interested in getting positions in the organisation at the expense of others, rather than focusing on actually running the organisation itself. It’s like watching a soap opera with an family that can’t stop feuding.
Only the DA, ID and FFplus seem able to focus on the task at hand without all the nonsense of internal strife and conflict which seems to beset all these ridiculous organisations.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “COPE is not dead.” It may be in a critical condition, but dead it is not. They stil have thousands of members and supporters, though divided, and they are still are major opposition party, larger than even the likes of the much older IFP. That there is so much squabbling amongst its so-called “leadership”, belies the fact that the members and voters of COPE will still vote for it come next elections and it remains viable. However, the author makes a point when he says that it’s careerists and power-mongers that are threatening its survival. Shilowa and Lekota have been exposed as such and only their removal will restore the integrity of those who formed and joined this party in good faith as a viable contender to the lumbereing behemoth that is the ANC. The survival and strengthening of COPE is vital for the prevention of SA becoming a one-party-state. There is no shortage of talent and integrity within the membership of COPE to take over the reigns of leadership. And may I suggest a young, fresh-minded group of individuals, untainted by ANC baggage to take up these positions in order to lead SA to a full, vibrant, non-racial democratic order in SA, in which the ANC is kept firmly on its toes by an opposition with serious potential to unseat them. This, in my view, is entirely possible, if u unseat SHIKOTA!
By the People for the People my foot! Isn’t politics the world over about men and women seeking to engraciate themselves to the masses by promising – change we can believe in? Only to revert to the established self-interest of POLITICIANS. I have yet to find a Politician who truly and wholly apply the principle of for the people by the people. It is alawys aaabout those I agree with with and damn the rest!
I agrre fully with what is written here. My view however is that there is no need to put the two sides together as it has become abundantly clear that the two represent 2 completely different value systems. Let the progrssive group move out of the Lekota thing,start building patiently from the ground a very formidable political force.That organisation shouldnt worry for now about taking part in the elections
Sentletse you need to deal with your personal arrogance first. It is always others who mess things up not you and not your friends.From this posting it seems you blame the ANC for everything that goes wrong in your political life.Until you find a way of extricating yourself from the ANC politics you’ll always find fault with others. Cope was a tribal concept that was hi-jacked and legitimised by Terror Lekota, unfortunately many unsuspecting people joined what was essentially an Eastern Cape project created by people who have always thought they have a divine right to rule other people.Personally my support of the Eastern Capers in the ANC has been based on goodwill that they meant well rather than their inherent political intelligence. The sooner the disabuse themselves of the notion that among the black groups they are the best thinkers, the better for COPE and all of us.
Sentletse, I must say this is not one of your best articles, partly because you are obviously conflicted; but must importantly, for an insider you fail to provide possible tangible solutions. It is clear Cope cannot hold an elective conference in the current climate; it is also obvious that there is an irretrievable breakdown of trust between the leaders and amongst the members; the branches themselves are said to be in disarray; and Cope has not been functioning as a coherent force since the elections. All its unelected leaders want to retain their positions and everyone else want some to be replaced and some do not want to serve under others. Is it perhaps not time to close shop or split? This is exactly where Cope is heading, bar some miracle; but that’s not going to come from the courts.
I agree with LS. The hyperbole got the better of me at about the same stage.
“…endless flow of blood of ordinary men and women…” and “…easiest pathway to resuscitate what would have been a political career enduring its last throes of death.” Please. Its worse than an episode of Top Billing!
But I am sure even some of the most optimistic members of the public would see just how impossible it is to save this dying horse. No matter who eventually prevails here, they will have a hard time convincing the voters that they aught to be taken seriously. In fact, if I was advising Shilowa I would urge him to withdraw from the race. Fold his ambitions and use his energy somewhere else.
People should have listened to what former comrades of Lekota were saying about him when he left the ANC, because some within COPE are now complaining about the same things.
Isn’t interesting that these guys are playing a blame game. Shilowa faction (Sentletse etc) blames the Lekota faction and vice versa. Isn’t it time to fold? Boring!
Yawn!!!
Let me think,where do I start?Polokwane was a watershed in the history of ANC politics.Decisions were taken including the election of a new NEC.Some decided to form COPE out of disgruntlement.COPE is imploding because of this history.So what’s new?
How about we talk about the pirates of FIFA and to some extent SAFA?Or how risky oral sex is?Or our chances in the IRB 2011 Word Cup?Or how songs we used to sing in kindergarten have been turned into hip hop hits?Or how BEE has contributed to the high divorce rate amongst Black families?Or human trafficking and its consequences?Or……eish!?
@The Creator….to funny:)
What was the vision of COPE? I am sure if this can be answered then we can start discussing why its strategy and plans failed. The leaders are tainted with the very allegations or shortrcomings they blame the ANC of in the first place.
Then the was that launch conference in Sandton……which still makes me laugh with a target of 4000 attendees. And the follwed unstopable downward spiral. To think that this organisation did not even get of the ground.
I wonder why you are questioning the ruling of our courts. Courts are a very important pillar of any Democracy. Individuals who questions court rulings because they are not in line with their envisaged outcome are extremely dangerous for Democracy. The disregard of our courts can only mean one thing – a TYRANNT in the making. Tyrannts disregard every one’s opinion whilst they force others to accept theirs as “the gospel truth”. The rule of law need to be respected at all times.
Charlie Mingas
Well said
Your glarring omission of known facts about the disqualified branches at the Congress immediately de-legitimizes the entire article.
Not that Im taking either side, you COPE lot are all ridiculous.
Sentletse here’s an extract from Siyabonga Ntshingila “But here’s the thing, irrational hatred/fear of a Zuma administration aside, no one should have been taken in by Cope from the beginning. How people that were part of the ANC leadership and governance from the get go could suddenly discover an appetite for transparency honesty and moral values just weeks after their Messiah had been crucified was always suspect. The fact that they chose to go it alone and remove themselves from the ANC mother body on the hope that the dislike of one man would sustain a political faction made up of those unceremoniously elbowed from the feeding trough showed the worst kind of political naivety”.
You set yourself up for disappointment and now you’re complaining.
@Sentletse – So, what shall we, the powerless and leaderless do while our freedoms and rights are being sold to the highest bidders? We live in crime-created prisons with dwindling resources and our hopes of true democracy becomes slimmer with each argument amongst “leaders” who shows less regard for “the people” with each new argument about power sharing and gathering they have. Rule by the people for the people means that we the people should have the power and politicians are the mere custodians of said power, by our grace. Can you see any of the current leaders (COPE et al) giving us that much willingly? Facism by any other name, i.e. “democracy” is still facism.
@Graham – I disagree, judging by current happenings, people cannot be reminded often enough what democracy really means.
@ Rego….you ask…..”Where does it leave the man on the street?”.
For all those voters with genuine democratic credentials who threw their weight behind COPE, the answer is simple……look no further than the DA. The ANC is a bigger far more toxic version of the COPE that they spawned.
COPE supporters may be disappointed but they have experienced a taste of what might have been. Do not squander the joy of flirting around the edges of democracy….go for the real thing.
Very insightful. I think you make 2 very good points, in a way your last point implies the first unstated point. Your last point is ‘The electoral reform can begin within Cope itself by discarding the practices it inherited from the ANC.’ The first point, which flows from this, is that the culture of the ANC is profoundly undemocratic, if you understand democracy as Aristotle does. The first point is perhaps more basic, and more worrying regarding SA’s long term future.
I will firstly suggest that you make a clean break with the ANC,Loose references to that organisation and its elective processes is not helpfull when we try to structure COPE appropriately for forthcoming events and campaigns.Secondly,no amount of ancient greek or american history will pull us out of the current situation.Thirdly,the courts of law and indeed all other chapter nine institutions are intergral to the proper functioning of the democracy that you profess to love so much.I always carry the Constitution of the RSA,for me it is an important reference book and should be made readily available to all COPE structures.Fourthly,i suggest that you read carefully the resolutions of the CNC of the 2nd of July, 2010, Therein you will find no trace of any factional agenda,those resolutions are about the normalisation of the party and the restoration of crediblity and intergrity of party structures,to the extent that they are successfully implemented COPE will emerge as a formidable political formation in our country.
I have decided not to resort to story telling and romanicise the past,for is it not tue that LIONS WILL ALWAYS BE LOSERS FOR AS LONG AS HUNTERS ARE THE STORY TELLERS.
Is COPE collapsing?
June 12 2009 at 06:15AM
By Caiphus Kgosana
“The honeymoon is over and, in the absence of a plan to continuously directand inspire our vital grassroots supporters, (they) will continue to simply drift away from us.”
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20090611195513414C592872
Really! The electoral reform should begin with Cope? This is a poor attempt to address a pertinent issue in a wrong article using the unlikeliest of sources. At the rate they are going, Cope will not be contesting by-elections. How would something so fundamental as electoral reform be associated with Cope?
We need to keep in mind that there are different kinds of democracy. We have a polyarchy in South Africa. A political system in which the elite govern and our imput is limited to involvement in periodic elections. The economic is seperated from the political. Not surprising then that socio-economic justice has not materialised over the past 16 years. We need to change the political and economic system to ensure a fairer, brighter, and democratic future for South Africans. And we need to do it soon.
Broer, half truth is no truth @all.Tell it straight no sides taken.
You used this public space for selfish political campaigning.Today you blame Lekota.’Red socks’?Both had reached an end of their Political life with Mbeki having been democratically removed.Self introspection must be free from biases.You were here all along:Who went around the country with bags of money and promises for polical positions trying to influence ANC delegates before Polokwane? When they failed they opened COPE.You supported all this till they reached their the climax of lies and thirst for power.In realising their eventual demise and each tried to influence democratic decisions of COPE.At all secret meetings of each group,political promises were made to delegates.It took you long to realise baba that you were backing people whose sole aim was to come through the back doorof politics.You are not saying anything about the Budget from Parliament.Why?Half truth is still no truth.You have not seen the way baba.Wake up? There is more to this?
I went back to the ANC.I can atleast point at something from the founding fathers to correct ill-descipline than pseudo-political-carreerists posing as Politicians.They are the worst crowd, even worse than PAC.
@Phemelo- lets talk about those too but leave me to watch Mr Diakanyo implode. I want to watch him soul search where there is no soul.Even from this far I am quite enjoying Copes struggles
@haiwa tigere
After some bad news on Friday,I think i needed to laugh like you made me do now.Enjoy.
Una, I hope you have read Skerminkel’s comment. Let me say this to you, I don’t dispute what the article says about the nonsense at COPE. All I’m saying is he must get to the point quicker. By the way, if COPE was real in its intentions, we wouldn’t be having all this nonsense. They all want power Una, and don’t care at all about you and me, and Skerminkel.