The registration of delegates for the Congress of the People’s inaugural conference in Bloemfontein was running smoothly, interim Cope general secretary Charlotte Lobe said on Saturday afternoon.
”We have accredited three provinces by 2pm on Saturday and are busy with Gauteng,” Lobe said.
The first national conference of the new party was expected to start in the Free State’s capital at 10pm Sunday.
Lobe said she expected the accreditation process to be over by 11pm.
She welcomed a huge media contingent during a briefing on Saturday afternoon to the City of Mangaung ”where a lot of political parties are formed for many years”.
Lobe said she expected about 4 000 delegates. Most of Cope’s interim leaders had already arrived in Bloemfontein and had been accredited, said Lobe.
During the media conference Lobe were flanked by Mosiuoa Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa, Mluleki George and Hilda Ndude.
Speaking on security, Lobe said nothing would derail Cope from holding the conference, especially during its planned mass rally on December 16.
The African National Congress has also planned a mass rally for December 16.
She said Cope had had no contact with the ANC on the coming week’s programme.
”It is quite clear the [ANC] gathering is to disturb the rally of Cope,” Lobe said.
”It is our view that we would not be derailed by any party, be it the ruling party, we refused to be bullied to submission.”
Lobe said Cope had been in contact with the country’s security structures.
”We have met them.”
Lobe said she believed here would be no disturbances at Cope’s rally the same day.
”We have made sufficient arrangement with the security forces believing that they are only accountable to the Constitution of South Africa and no other person or political party,” she said.
‘Plenty of time’ to scrutinise leaders
Interim chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota criticised the media for focusing on who was going to lead party.
He said the media should be more interested in media freedom
”This question of how much space you would enjoy. It’s far more important, than who and how we will decide who’s going to lead and how we going to lead this organisation.”
He said Cope would be building a team of men and women who would lead the organisation.
”That is not an exercise that can be reduced to a weekend.”
Lekota said Cope’s leadership issue would be a long process, because the organisation would have to think about the present circumstances in South Africa, as well those in the medium and long term.
Lekota said the interim leadership was aware of the huge responsibility that rested on its shoulders.
”We are aware if we make mistakes, which are fatal, we will not do our country any good.”
He said the media would have ”plenty of time” in the future to ”scrutinise” the leadership of Cope.
”You will have time to do that.” – Sapa