/ 25 November 2008

A map of intolerance

”We’re not in heaven, we’re on earth. There’ll always be things that aren’t ideal.” So says ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Senzo Mchunu responding to criticism that the ANC is intolerant of the Congress of the People (Cope) and deliberately disrupts the new movement’s meetings.

Cope has complained that ANC members have disrupted several meetings since last month, with the latest incidents occurring in Phomolong township in Henneman, Free State, and Verulam in KwaZulu-Natal.

The ANC has issued statements condemning the disruption, but its leaders have consistently claimed that former party chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota and his organisation are provoking its members.

While calling for political tolerance across the political divide, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told the Mail & Guardian last week that Cope leaders should take the blame for the disruptions.

”If the Shikota people organise a meeting, invite members of the ANC and insult the ANC, they should expect those disruptions. They can’t blame the ANC for that,” said Mantashe.

He complained that the media focused on the actions of ANC supporters while ignoring disruptive behaviour by Cope members.

He said last Sunday Cope supporters had occupied a hall in Philippi, Cape Town, booked by the ANC, forcing it to hold a meeting in the open.

During the disruption of the Cope rally in the Phomolong town hall two weekends ago the mayor of the Matjhabeng municipality, Mathabo Leeto, reportedly told a crowd of ANC supporters that her position gave her the power to occupy any municipal property whenever she chose to.

Last week Leeto denied the report, saying she was in the vicinity of the Cope meeting as chairperson of the ANC’s Lejweleputswa region and was undertaking a door-to-door campaign.

She said she had ”called for maximum discipline and for them [Cope supporters] not to be provoked”. She accused Cope of disrupting an ANC meeting that was taking place at the same venue.

In Verulam, on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, ANC supporters prevented a Cope meeting from getting off the ground last weekend by forcing their way into the hall. Lekota abandoned the meeting, saying he feared for his safety.

Mchunu said at that time that Lekota was ”urinating” on the ANC by criticising it and that he had provoked members to defend the party.

He said Lekota’s continued criticism of the ANC ”makes it difficult for us to appeal for discipline from the people”.

Last week Mchunu stood by his comments that ANC members are being provoked. ”They say to me: ‘If Terror comes to KwaZulu-Natal and rubbishes the ANC what should we do? Are we not supposed to defend the ANC?’ When you listen to him you get the feeling that ‘I should challenge Terror on this’.”

Mchunu said his party had discouraged members from attending Cope meetings, but warned that the ANC leadership could not guarantee that there would be no further disruptions.

He said Cope meetings in Chatsworth on Sunday and at Stanger on Tuesday had proceeded smoothly.

Cope spokesperson Palesa Morudu denied that Lekota’s criticisms of the ANC were provocative. ”He has not used any tone that creates an atmosphere of intolerance. [But] yes, he has raised issues quite sharply, issues that all of us at Cope believe will take the country backwards if not addressed.”

Morudu said ANC rhetoric was far more intolerant. ”We have never called people dogs and cockroaches,” she said.