The illegal pre-loading of delegates’ names on the database of the Congress of the People’s (Cope) national elective congress delayed the opening of the congress, the party’s deputy president, Mbhazima Shilowa, told journalists on Wednesday afternoon.
Accreditation for delegates only started after 3pm on Wednesday, as the database was being cleaned after Cope leaders were alerted of the irregularity in the morning.
Shilowa refused to say who was to blame for the irregularity, but the Mail & Guardian was told by two sources close to the process that party president Mosiuoa Lekota’s supporters are the culprits.
Said Shilowa: “What is important is not allegations and counter-allegations, but that they’re deleted and the database is loading it afresh.
“It is a highly contested congress and you don’t want anything that will make people query the outcome.”
Nowhere to be seen
While addressing his supporters outside the accreditation venue in Centurion, using different languages, Shilowa said delegates should ensure that nothing derailed the congress. “We must use this congress as a moment of renewal. We must go back to the people and apologise and tell them we will rise again.”
While Shilowa and some of his lieutenants — congress national committee members Mluleki George and youth leader Anele Mda — were charming delegates at the accreditation centre, Lekota was nowhere to be seen. The congress is expected to elect new leaders, with Shilowa challenging Lekota for the presidency.