The Congress of the People made history last week when it notched its first real by-election victory since its formation, snatching a ward from the ANC in Thembisa, Gauteng.
The victory has provided breathing space for the newcomer, which has spent much of the past few months putting out internal fires.
The party won 10 by-elections in the Western Cape last year, but the ANC did not contest them because it failed to register candidates in time.
In most other by-elections Cope has contested it has suffered crushing defeats. Cope’s Thando Mgaweni won 50.6% of the vote in the Thembisa poll against ANC candidate Thomas Mabye’s 45.4%. The percentage poll was 20%.
Finger-pointing and introspection within the ruling party have followed the Cope victory. ANC provincial secretary David Makhura said the party selected the wrong candidate to represent the ward, while the national ANC has blamed the loss on complacency among members.
A Mail & Guardian visit to Phomolong in Thembisa produced evidence suggesting that an inappropriate candidate, strict credit control measures by the Ekurhuleni municipality and uncaring local ANC activists were factors in the surprise result.
Mercy Mokwele, a single mother, said that while the government had provided her with an RDP house she still used a candle at home because she did not have the R1 000 the council required as an electricity connection fee. She said she had voted for Mgaweni because for more than 10 years the ANC councillor had done nothing to assist her.
Melita Nzimande told the M&G the council had disconnected her electricity because she owed R2 000. ‘We go where we think we will be cared for,†she said, explaining her vote for Cope. ‘I am changing from the ANC because maybe a new person will deliver services,†said Albert Mathebula.
‘We are getting final notices that our electricity has been cut off because we owe R40 000. How can you possibly accumulate a debt of R40 000 if you live in an RDP house like this one?â€
Mgaweni was chosen as a candidate by both Cope and some members of the community who knew him as a ward activist for the ANC Youth League. Mabye was seen to be too close to the previous ANC councillor.
Mgaweni left the ANC last year to join Cope after having been a member for 19 years. He said the crunch for him came when the party fired Thabo Mbeki. ‘Still today I do not know the reason why the president, who had seven months to go before the end of his term, was removed so unnecessarily,†he said.
‘I am not referring to Mbeki as a person, but the president of the country. The leadership of the ANC did not consult the members and they did not see the need to tell us why and how they took the decision.â€
Mgaweni said his team’s by-election planning took two months. ‘The community decided that they would not let the ANC decide for them who their candidate should be. I grew up here and the people know me. The ANC candidate found me here. The people know me as a person who is 100% clean,†he said.