The Congress of the People risks losing the moral high ground with their appointment of fraud convict Allan Boesak as the party’s candidate for premier in the Western Cape.
Boesak was earlier shoved aside when the party decided it wanted a candidate with a clean record to head the party’s election campaign in the hotly contested province.
Boesak served four years in prison for fraud and corruption, but was later pardoned by president Thabo Mbeki.
One party leader told the Mail & Guardian last week that Boesak was a ‘flawed candidateâ€, who would force the party to run a ‘defensive campaignâ€.
But after trying to convince other candidates such as Stellenboch University vice-chancellor Russel Botman, Cope ran out of options and eventually had to settle for Boesak, who still enjoys immense popularity in the province.
Cope on Saturday announced its premier candidates for eight of the country’s nine provinces.
It was also announced that its candidate for the deputy president of the country will be a woman, but the name of the candidate has not been finalised.
General secretary Charlotte Lobe told a press conference that she would not be drawn on who the possible Limpopo candidate might be, although other party leaders privately confirmed that Cope is talking to Limpopo premier Sello Moloto.
‘A delegation from Cope is consulting with various people in Limpopo,†said Lobe.
Lobe would neither confirm nor deny whether Moloto is being lobbied.
In Gauteng, the candidate for premier is former ANC national executive committee member Lyndall Shope, who recently resigned her position as director general in the department of communications.
Former ANC provincial secretary Neville Mompati will be the candidate for the Northern Cape, while former advisor to former president Thabo Mbeki, Wiseman Nkuhlu, will stand for the premiership in the Eastern Cape.
The Free State premier candidate is Casca Mokitalane who formerly served as deputy chairperson of the ANC in that province while Nikiwe Num, former provincial minister in the North West, will be Cope’s choice of premier.
Former ANC women’s league leader Prudence Madonsela is the party’s premier candidate in Mpumalanga.
Lobe said the provinces that do not have female candidates for the premiership will have to ensure that 60% of the positions on their electoral lists be taken by women.
‘We also insist our candidates protect and preserve public resources and assets, ensuring that corruption, waste and mismanagement are eradicated from the body politic,†said Lobe.
She invited the public to use the objection process, administered by the Independent Electoral Commission, if they have any legitimate objections to the candidates.