The wife of suspended Scorpions boss Vusi Pikoli has emerged a key organiser for the Congress of the People (Cope).
Girlie Majola-Pikoli is the latest member of the wives’ club of spouses of prominent leaders to have joined the party.
Majola-Pikoli was responsible for putting together Cope’s policy document on the criminal justice system. She says her husband is not involved in Cope, but is ”obviously happy” that the party is championing the return of the soon to be disbanded Scorpions.
”For now my husband is strictly an ANC member and I don’t think he will leave anytime soon. Everybody must make their own decisions about where they want to be,” she told the Mail & Guardian.
Asked whether she consults her husband on criminal justice matters, she said Cope’s policy document covers broad aspects, rather than focusing on technicalities.
”I don’t necessarily consult him as these are not technical issues and we happen to work in the same area of security studies.”
Formerly a deputy director general in the national intelligence agency, Majola-Pikoli trained at the college of the South African National Defence Force before working for South African Airways. She left the airline in 2007 because of ill-health.
”I’m currently unemployed; I’m trying to get into business,” she said.
Other wives of prominent newsmakers said to have thrown their lot in with Cope include Wendy Luhabe, businesswoman and wife of Cope high-up Mbhazima Shilowa; Yolisa Macozoma, wife of Stanlib chairperson Saki Macozoma; and former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Mlambo-Ngcuka has yet to confirm her membership of Cope.
Meanwhile, the M&G has learned that Cope’s draft policy documents, to have been unveiled last weekend, would have placed heavy emphasis on relieving the tax burden on households.
The documents say tax relief is a key measure to counter high interest rates.
”To reduce taxes is one of the most effective ways in which you can help poor households in this time of financial crisis,” said Cope spokesperson Philip Dexter.
A new tax dispensation is also proposed as a way of encouraging renewable energy sources.
”Eskom’s coal-dominated model and its monopoly need to be broken,” the document says.
The party also says that a debate on the future of broad-based black economic empowerment and affirmative action is needed.
”Should it still apply to young white South Africans under 30 years of age? There is certainly a need to consider other issues such as the urban-rural divide and household income as measures of who qualifies as disadvantaged.”
Cope also wants social security for those who can work linked with job creation programmes to guarantee jobs to all citizens capable of working.
”Pay would be significantly in excess of welfare grants, which would also become less strained because of the concomitant narrowing of the welfare net.”
Dexter also told the M&G his party would not join the call for an inquiry in the arms deal ”unless presented with prima facie evidence to warrant it”.