COPE REJECTS THE DISTORTIONS THAT ARE BEING PEDDLED.
MOSIUOA LEKOTA LEFT ANC TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE LAND.
Congress of the People rejects the distortions that are being peddled by some overzealous fringe elements who refuse to listen to differing opinions and to voices of reason in the society.
During a panel debate on the matter of land expropriaion held at UNISA on Monday, these elements continued to use their unproductive tactic of howling and heckling President of COPE, comrade Mosiuoa Lekota when he made a presentation of the COPE policy position on the matter.
Because they have closed their ears to anything that can help them understand the complexity and historical context of the crafting of Section 25 of the constitution, these elements lost out on enriching their comprehension of the dynamics of the land matter. A hallowed place of academic learning like a university platform ought to be about the exchange of critical theoretical ideas on the basis of respect for and tolerance of differing opinions.
The latest fashionable trend of misplaced militiancy and populism denies the nation an opportunity to find solutions for compelex challenges it faces. Thankfully, the thinking majority of South Africans are not interested in half baked notions like those propagated through populist rhetoric.
Mr. Lekota left the ANC to defend the constitution of the land and to this day believes that those who left were right. When they started to say that their party constitution was above that of the country and removed a sitting President from Office without due regard for the provisions of the constitution, we couldn't reconcile our conscience with such acts that were bordering on a silent coup. Today we have been vindicated by numerous constitutional court decisions that found the ANC government to have acted unconstitutionally on so many matters. He is on record in parliament to have stated his uncompromising views on the failures and treachery of the ANC of today.
In respect of President Lekota's comments regarding COPE and the ANC, what he was endeavouring to articulate was that COPE remains committed and loyal to the values and principles that informed our national struggle for democracy and the vision of a just and equitable country as envisioned in our constitution.
In this regard it is abundently clear that the ANC of today has deviated fundamentally from the tenets and doctrines for which it stood for (including expropriation of land without compensation) and it is COPE that remains loyal and committed to the attainment of these ideals. We strongly believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.
Statement issued by Pakes Dikgetsi, National Chairperson of the Congress of the People, 1 May 2018
