Port Elizabeth was a hive of activity on Friday as the Congress of the People prepared to launch its first election manifesto in KwaZakhele on Saturday. Cope delegates visited New Brighton, KwaZwide, Veeplaas, Kleinskool and Despatch.
It was clear from the reaction of community members that the Eastern Cape is divided between the African National Congress and the breakaway party.
It seemed that Cope had the upper hand when the motorcade of about 200 cars left the New Brighton Library to begin a five-hour township-to-township campaign with loud music, hooters and songs praising party leaders.
Driving past Njoli Square in KwaZakhele was a different story. Supporters greeted the motorcade’s arrival with clenched fists and cheering, while others stood and watched outside their homes, as though to face their political enemy.
An elderly woman screamed ”Zuma” and then dismissed the Cope delegates, saying ”Hamba!”
At the Johnson Road complex in KwaZwide, which houses local council offices, a police station, clinic and a community library, ruling party members wearing Jacob Zuma T-shirts were waiting at the gate. Inside, Cope cars were branded with stickers, reading ”Cope is on the move” and ”Welcome to Cope Town.”
A Cope supporter then told the community through a loudspeaker that the party was there to take the ”Eastern Cope”.
Cope’s head of elections, Mlungisi Hlongwane, adressed a crowd outside a small shopping complex in Veeplaas.
”We are the people’s organisation which is ready to go into Parliament running. It’s an organisation that will not be led by people facing criminal charges,” he said.
He said that Cope’s manifesto would show that the party was ready to govern.
He reminded them that they should increase their campaign’s momentum with door-to-door campaigns. ”Don’t take it for granted that all the people here are going to vote, we must visit them in their houses and tell them what we stand for.”
The motorcade then headed off to a warm welcome in Kleinskool.
At KwaNoxolo, the national executive committee of the party joined the motorcade in an open bus named Lady Elizabeth and visited the remains of a Cope member’s house that had been burnt in December.
In the Despatch township, another ANC public meeting was under way and the ruling party supporters lined the road to boo the Cope motorcade.
The ANC is due to host a rally at the Dan Qeqe stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
”Yes it’s our 97th anniversary rally and to endorse the ANC’s manifesto,” says provincial secretary Penny Majodina.
”It’s our culture that after the manifesto we must also go the regions to explain the ANC’s position.”
The ANC is also planning to host a party for the youth, ”because ouf focus is on young people,” says Majodina.