Propagandist media houses and the misfortunes of Cope

I have known for a long time that the SABC continues to function as a well-oiled propaganda machine on taxpayer money — despite the fall of apartheid. However, it was recently confirmed that the so-called “Paper for the People”, the Sunday Times, has its fair share of misrepresenting and twisting the facts. Whether intentionally or due to sheer incompetence, when journalists fail to provide factual, objective — or at least neutral — news coverage it is not only doing “the people” a disservice, but it’s also unethical.

To be fair, some of Cope’s leaders and members have not been shy to provide the media with sensational behaviour to feed off of, but that does not warrant dis- and misinformation by certain broadcasting and publication agencies.

Having attended the imbizo in Soweto, I intentionally watched SABC news to see how they’d spin it. According to the SABC, the meeting “ended in chaos”, when Terror Lekota successfully and to great applause addressed the remaining members packing the DOCC/YMCA Hall in Orlando East (Video footage can be viewed here).

However the most shameless twisting of the facts was by the Sunday Times.

Shilowa supporters were not blocked from entering the hall (Photos can be viewed here) and rival factions did not threaten to attack one another as the police only removed those members who continued to disrupt the meeting. Additionally, these members — those waving “We Hate Terror” and “Shilowa 4 President” placards — were reprimanded and called to order two hours before the meeting could actually take off.

More importantly is the twisting of Phillip Dexter’s words by the Sunday Times: “Cope MP Phillip Dexter, a staunch Lekota supporter, losing patience with the group chanting anti-Lekota slogans, pointed towards them and shouted: “Voetsek! Down with hooligans, Down.”

Phillip, after having been introduced by the chairperson, took the microphone and started with the usual “Amandla!” to which the crowd responds with the expected “Awethu”. He then proceeded to shout “Down with hooligans”, the crowd thunderously responded “down!”, followed by “Voetsek hooligans”, answered by “voetsek!”

It should also be seen in the context of speaker after speaker decrying ill-discipline as contrary to the founding principles of the organisation, and Dexter has become known for not holding his tongue.

Finally, the Sunday Times incorrectly stated that Lekota called the meeting, when it was legitimately organised by Soweto members, inviting the entire CNC and giving their platform to speak, including Shilowa and Lobe, despite their blatant untruthful statements to the contrary.

This did not, however, stop Cope Gauteng provincial secretary Mbulelo Bara from allegedly withdrawing R33 000 to fund the efforts (and potentially alcohol) of those disrupting the meeting (see here).

I know the party is not without its fair share of self-induced misfortune, but that does not warrant blatant lies by the media. Sadly, however, the supporters of Shilowa have been the main culprits in fuelling the fire.

Not to mention the existence of documentary evidence and witnesses to attest to Shilowa’s alleged illegal use of Cope funds and conclusion of financial agreements without proper authorisation as the Sunday Times (this time correctly) and Beeld reported.

“According to documents leaked to the Sunday Times, Shilowa instructed First National Bank — just two weeks before the aborted national congress at St Georges hotel in May — not to allow any member, except himself, access to party parliamentary accounts.

According to Cope MPs who spoke to the Sunday Times, there has never been any meeting that gave Shilowa powers over Cope’s financial accounts.

They say they were shocked to discover that Shilowa, and his personal assistant Jen de Wet, were the only people authorised to inquire about party funds.

Sadly the most indicting and embarrassing behaviour has been exhibited by those who support Shilowa. This includes racist, homophobic rants about white boys like myself failing to understand township politics as a right-wing AWB member, making death threats and God only knows what else.

This by the very same Floyd Tshegare who spewed the hogwash on my previous post. It is people like these who have questioned Lekota’s attempts at reconciliation after Terreblanche’s murder, decrying Malema when those who support his deputy have been equally inspired by Anele Mda — a vocal Shilowa supporter — from the “token white bitch” fame (in reference to Deidre Carter).

The embarrassing and hypocritical behaviour of Shilowa’s supporters appear to have no limit. Denouncing on the one hand Terror as “president of the courts” and yet running to the courts themselves, notably the Gauteng chairperson John Ngcebetsha who wants to interdict the party president from arranging a sitting of the party’s highest decision-making body, the CNC.

Despite the spoiling tactics of those who support Shilowa, specifically the general secretary Charlotte Lobe (who continued to obstruct the attempts at convening a CNC meeting), Cope and its leaders have been progressively addressing the woes of the party and heading back to its members.

I have been informed that the congress working committee held a quorating meeting on Monday and installed Deidre Carter as deputy general secretary, despite Lobe and Shilowa reportedly being in Cope House at the time. Subsequently a CNC meeting to chart the way forward has been scheduled for this coming Friday, hoping to discuss unity and cohesion leading to the September conference and next year’s local government elections.

Lekota successfully concluded the Soweto ymbizo to a packed hall, and then addressed a crowd of 500 to 600 youth movement members in Polokwane according to sources in attendance. This was revealed to me in confidence, despite alleged attempts by those who support Shilowa to pay local Cope leaders R40 000 to deliver the support of the province to their candidate.

As the net closes in on those who conduct themselves in this manner, they are running increasingly scared and becoming more and more desperate, resorting to interesting, unsubstantiated, illogical, incoherent and totally embarrassing behaviour.
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A tree is judged bnty the fruit it bears, and unfortunately rotten apples are fruit too, and one of them spoils the entire bunch, sadly implicating Shilowa, Terror and the entire organisation. As the Shilowa Express turns into a train wreck it seems that those who have been comfortably on it are hell be on aking the entire organisation and the hopes and aspirations of 1,3-million voters into oblivion with the.

Despite the unfortunate disruptions by those carrying “Shilowa 4 President” and “We hate Terror” placards, I had a rather enjoyable experience in Soweto and surrounds. Now if Cope will just get back to basics and refocus the organisation in its entirety on the real issues.