The leadership of the Congress of the People (Cope) being decided on by consensus, instead of elections, led to questions of legitimacy, the party’s secretary general, Charlotte Lobe, said in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Explaining why there were perceptions of leadership squabbles in the party, Lobe said the party’s leaders were elected by consensus because it had no structures in place to hold proper elections.
The party’s upcoming elective conference would lend it legitimacy, as the correct processes would be followed, she told a press briefing.
“The conference is not a panacea to all challenges, but I believe on the issue of legitimacy of leadership … it will resolve such a challenge.”
Cope deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa said the party would decide on a date for its elective conference during a “strategic planning session” in February. The party would assess progress made in its year in existence and examine problems it faced.
The newly formed party participated in the 2009 national elections months after its inception.
It has been plagued by reports of internal divisions, leadership squabbles and tribalism.
“We knew that building a new organisation was going to be a hard slog. It was not going to be possible in a short period of time to build a solid organisation,” Shilowa said.
A report from the party’s youth movement on the disarray in Cope had not yet been finalised and was not presented to the party’s national leadership. It reportedly contained calls for the removal of those running the organisation.
Shilowa said the document was still being discussed by youth structures.
On the party’s lacklustre performance in Parliament, Shilowa said it had taken a while to get the organisation up and running in the legislature. When Parliament opened next month “everything would be in place” for the party to carry out its duties. — Sapa