Many people, myself included, had hoped and believed that the Congress of the People (Cope) would be a credible alternative to the ruling party. Sadly, Cope has from its start been plagued by two factions: those who are committed to and wanted to build this credible alternative, and those who opportunistically sought to advance their political careers and enlarge their bank accounts through any and all means possible.
Considering recent lamentable events in the short history of the party, it is understandable that some would want to consign it to the trash can of South African political history. While it is not necessarily impossible that the party go that route, I do think that eulogies are being written prematurely, partly because I hate to admit that I was wrong!
The eventual decline of the ANC is, as far as the history of liberation movements across the continent go, inevitable. There is, however, still a dire need for a credible representative mass political alternative with broad-based appeal not only as alternative to the ANC, but also as means for ensuring the ruling party is kept on its toes by a party that is perceived to legitimately represent the interests of the majority of South Africans.
While the road ahead for the party in redeeming itself in the hearts and minds of the public will indubitably be a difficult, and long, one it is not impossible if coupled with the political will, desire and commitment to see it through. I wouldn’t turn off the life support system just yet.
The party requires an extreme make-over to overhaul its already severely tainted public image. This must, however, be met with a concerted and credible effort towards addressing a number of organisational and political issues plaguing the party, of which the leadership struggle is not the least of it.
It is in this regard that Cope could and should take notes from the DA, a party that has successfully changed and continues to change its image and alter public perceptions of the organisation. The DA pragmatically embarked on a campaign geared at sustainable growth in electoral support and has maintained respectable levels of increased support since 1994. While external factors should not be dismissed, it was largely the result of the emergence of new leaders, the adoption and implementation of effective political strategy, and a public relations and media campaign of note. The DA has also offered constant, substantive and critical opposition to the ANC granting it exposure in the public eye. The official opposition has also established effective training and grooming grounds for future leaders injecting necessary sustainability in its efforts beyond Helen Zille.
The party would do well to learn from the DA, and:
- Democratically and legitimately elect regional, provincial and national executive officials with a mandate to formulate and implement a campaign strategy for the 2011 Local Government Elections;
- Identify, train and groom potential future leaders from the pool of 35 – 45 year old members in the organisation to take the party beyond 2014;
- Develop and implement an effective public relations and communication strategy;
- Effectively tackle administration in both parliament and Cope House which, under Lobe and Mashiane, has been dismal and wrought with factional agendas and politicisation;
- Provide constant, vocal and substantive opposition to the ANC in parliament, an arena in which Shilowa as Chief Whip has performed poorly and unconvincingly;
- Draft and implement a strategic cooperation initiative with opposition parties heading into the LGEs next year, particularly in metropolitan and urban areas, and in key provinces like the Free State and Northern Cape;
- Endeavour earnestly to redress weaknesses that have tainted the party’s image and credibly rebrand itself as an inclusive, modern, effective, efficient and progressive political alternative as it claimed to be upon its founding.
It will be necessary for Cope to shed its ANC image if it is to be taken seriously as an alternative by South African society. In this regard it should speedily address ill-disciplined members, chaotic and disruptive meetings and congresses; root out or neutralise individuals who taint its image and use party mechanisms for self-enrichment and political advancement. Political ambition is not the issue, unprincipled ambition and careerism is; particularly when coupled with nepotism, self-enrichment and dirty, underhanded politics.
As with the ANC and its 52nd National Conference in Polokwane, many argued that the party would split and that a breakaway is inevitable, which was constantly downplayed by the ANC and by both ‘camps’ in the organisation then. It is equally inevitable that there will be winners and losers come 30 September and Cope’s first elective congress. The possibility of a split has been downplayed by both factions, but only history shall be the judge, particularly as Mofihli Likotsi, Congress National Committee member and Shilowa-ally, has already registered a, what he calls “social movement”, with the Independent Electoral Commission at the national level.
I believe that South Africans must give Cope a second chance and that the organisation should be prepared to accept a sharp decrease in electoral support, should it turn out to be the case. The party has competent and capable strategists and merely requires the political will and commitment to embark on the long and arduous journey towards overhauling its public image, and overturning trends of decreased public and electoral support. The CNC has already taken a number of progressive and decisive steps toward ensuring the organisational overhaul of the party, only time will tell whether this will be successful and bear fruit.
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