A senior Congress of the People (Cope) official has admitted that ”division and indecision” are taking their toll on the party’s support.
In a confidential memorandum presented to the party’s highest decision-making structure, the congress working committee, this week, the new national head of elections, Simon Grindrod, warned that Cope was becoming ”just like the ANC” in practice.
There was a growing perception that Cope’s president, Mosiuoa Lekota, was being isolated by those supporting his deputy, Mbhazima Shilowa.
”This scenario is rapidly becoming a carbon copy of the events in the ANC which led to Polokwane,” says the document, which was leaked to the Mail & Guardian.
The document, sent to all committee members and to be discussed at its next meeting on Monday, assesses the party’s challenges and ”battle-readiness” for by-elections and local government elections.
Cope spokesperson Philip Dexter confirmed that the leaked document was ”an authentic document” written by Grindrod. ”He [Grindrod] is very disappointed that people have leaked it to the media. Its purpose was simply to inform discussions at the meeting on Monday.”
Divisions in Cope played themselves out in public before the April elections when the party struggled to decide its presidential candidate, leading to the choice of compromise candidate Mvume Dandala.
Grindrod’s document warns Cope’s leaders that the party risks losing more voters in the run-up to the 2011 local elections as long as Cope structures continue to be seen as the ”personal property” of individuals who perpetuate ”the bad habits learned in the ANC”.
”Ordinary members, previously so enthusiastic and inspired by our message, are abandoning us and losing confidence in our ability to rectify clear cases of undemocratic or unacceptable behaviour,” says the document.
This refers to allegations that some provincial and national leaders have used interim leadership structures to lock themselves into leadership positions. ”All structures of our party are unelected, which has certainly given rise to widespread accusations of gate-keeping and illegitimacy.”
The document calls on the leadership to convene elective conferences at all levels to reaffirm Cope’s commitment to internal democracy.
Grindrod also raises concern about confusion in the leadership, caused by Lekota being based at Cope’s headquarters whereas its parliamentary leader is Dandala.
”It is increasingly the case that ordinary members ask ‘who leads us?’.”
Grindrod says the fact that 80% of Cope’s national MPs came from the ANC is cause for concern, as it ”does nothing to counter the constant accusation of Cope being merely an ‘ANC Lite’.”
Cope has been dogged by controversy since December when its inaugural congress in Bloemfontein chose interim leaders by consensus. Dandala’s entry on to the stage compounded the problems.
There has been confusion about the roles and responsibilities of the people at the top. The document reads: ”This confusion is manifesting itself in divisions on the ground as supporters naturally gravitate towards their preferred centre of power.”
It warns that if Cope does nothing to inspire its members and supporters, they will continue to ”simply drift away from us”.