The Congress of the People’s (Cope) parliamentary leader, Mvume Dandala, almost quit the party last week, but was persuaded by top leaders, notably party deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa, to stay on.
Three Cope sources confirmed that the former cleric was about to hand in his resignation when Shilowa convinced him to reconsider.
Though assisted by an experienced spin doctor, his political adviser Onkgopotse “JJ” Tabane, Dandala is said to feel that Shilowa — who backed him when he was unexpectedly elevated as Cope’s presidential candidate — had become less supportive.
“He was frustrated by the presidency’s lack of support for his work in Parliament,” said a congress national committee (CNC) member.
“A lot of people spent the past two weeks convincing him to stay. He was serious about resigning.”
Tabane said: “Dandala is not quitting. As I speak to you, we’re in a planning session for his office for 2010. He’s as motivated as ever.”
The M&G understands, however, that Dandala’s unhappiness was aggravated by the congress working committee’s (CWC) questioning of critical opinion pieces by Tabane about Cope in several newspapers. The committee apparently asked Dandala to convey its displeasure to Tabane, asking him to choose between being an adviser or a commentator.
Dandala allegedly saw this as an attempt to “weaken” his office, which is run by Tabane and is regarded as one of the few in the party that is professionally managed. Dandala believes that Cope must allow open debate among members, which he reiterated at a fundraiser in Athlone last Friday. He also skipped this week’s CWC meeting, apparently because he was annoyed by the committee’s demand for Tabane to be censured.
Dandala offered to step down at a CNC meeting in July last year, over what he called the “uncertainty” about whether his nomination as Cope’s presidential candidate and, later, its parliamentary leader was transparent. He changed his mind at the meeting.
Sources said the party’s funders wanted Dandala to stay in his position as a strategy to “neutralise” party president Mosiuoa Lekota. The funders, said to want Shilowa as president, apparently believe Dandala’s resignation would offer the pro-Lekota group an opportunity to send their champion to Parliament. The installation of Dandala as parliamentary leader caused internal ructions last year.
Tabane said the involvement of Cope funders in the party’s business was “greatly exaggerated. There is simply nothing of the sort.”