Following a COPE Policy Planning Strategy Session held on 28 July 2009 we can today unveil a progressive policy agenda 

How did we arrive at this point?

Four months after it was formed, COPE was given a mandate to be the official national opposition in four of the nine provinces. COPE won 7.44% of the national vote, something that is unheard of in South African politics. The people have spoken. COPE has to now deliver sound policies.

So much has been said about COPE not having an ideology. As the Head of Policy I have taken time, in consultation with the party, to carefully create a living document. We now ask the South African people to engage with us in growing this policy.

We are going to unveil our Progressive Agenda today.

We ask COPE Members, South Africans and principal shareholders with interests to participate in these transparent discussions. COPE will ensure a true reflection of people's views with maximum participation during this process.

COPE must develop this policy by understanding the nature of the socio-economic and political climate of the day in order to facilitate change in South Africa. The two key areas to target are unemployment and poverty. The Progressive Agenda will address this by empowering people with necessary skills to be able to make choices and to participate in the South African economy in a meaningful way.

How do we define COPE's New Agenda for Change and Hope?

COPE is unique. It reflects different political cultures. These cultures characterise South African society and embody the future of our nation. This diversity gives COPE an advantage over all other political formations in South Africa. COPE must seize the moment. 

This diversity came about when COPE attracted members from the Tripartite Alliance and other political organisations. COPE also attracted people from different walks of life who were never affiliated to any political party but now wanted to engage in the process of change and to hear a new voice. COPE is that new voice.

COPE is founded on the ‘progressive realisation of rights' as written into the South African Constitution, and commits itself to this Progressive Agenda for the benefit of all South Africans.

COPE will not be held hostage by the past. It has a clear ideological, political and social policy programme that is defined as the Progressive Agenda.

COPE seeks to cultivate a common national identity that is free of prejudice based on race, colour, ethnicity, creed, religion, and gender. It envisions a South Africa where citizens have a unity of purpose and are proud to be South Africans. COPE works within an ideological framework that is progressive and commits to a number of values and principles.

These include:

Human Rights, Human Development; Human Dignity; Social Justice; Social Solidarity; Consolidated Democracy; Rule of Law; Equality and Defense of the Constitution.

Democracy, Human Rights and Equality are viewed as universal values.

COPE rejects oppression, violations of human rights and threats to democracy. It neither supports nor defends narrow nationalism. The Progressive Agenda is founded on respecting effective judicial and parliamentary processes that allows for the rule of law to be part of the South African culture.

COPE is committed to political and economic accountability; to international co-operation and international solidarity. These are fundamental values in the progressive and internationalist tradition.

COPE is committed to building consensus and finding common approaches to address common problems. In essence, COPE is committed to building a common national consensus. 

COPE strives to build genuine and long-lasting partnerships. Theses include partnerships between the state and market; the state and civil society; the affluent and the poor; the developed and developing worlds; North and South.  The Progressive Agenda does not seek to do things for people. It is committed to working in partnerships. This partnership paradigm spells out common responsibilities, common accountabilities, and mutual respect amongst human beings.

COPE through the Progressive Agenda strives to unite - not divide - South Africans. We will move beyond the divisions of the past. We will build a common identity, a common nation-hood and a common citizenship. COPE promotes the rights of all South Africans as enshrined in the Bill of Rights in our Constitution. It sees the Bill of Rights as the Freedom Charter.

Progressive Economics

 COPE's Progressive Agenda has a comprehensive economic dimension. It is committed to a participatory approach to economics. COPE rejects the stark choice between capitalism and socialism and believes the market has a pivotal role to play in generating wealth, growth and resources for all South Africans.  We call on all South African people to commit themselves to participating in building a sustainable economy for the benefit of all South Africans.

COPE places emphasis on poverty reduction by empowering South Africans through education and training as well as enterprise development. Our Progressive Agenda teaches us that Growth and Redistribution are not either-ors in society; they are both fundamental to building a united and prosperous society. A society that can transcend the racial and class divisions of the past, build a national identity amongst South Africans for the proud future of our nation.

COPE and the PROGRESSIVE, ACTIVIST STATE

For COPE the ‘flawed market' alone cannot address the serious challenges faced by our country, our continent and the world. For too long the role of the state has been undermined or abused. With our Progressive Agenda, we are committed to an activist state, a state that can tackle divisions and inequality in society.

We are committed to a state that is able to influence market forces where necessary and bring about redress in society. Above all, the state that we envision is one that can commit to social justice and address the social exclusion felt by people in general.

COPE's is committed to an enabling state that can bring about growth, redistribution and modernisation in our society.

No society in the 21st Century can develop without strong economic performance and growth. COPE's progressive agenda will ensure that an activist state plays its rightful role to ensure that the economy grows, people have decent opportunities in order to live meaningful lives.

The essence of COPE politics

We propose a New Way to politics, ours is a progressive politics.  The people are at the centre.  The principal role of the state is to ensure that the human potential of all South African people is maximised.

COPE is committed to returning power to the people and to create a new consensus for social change that demands commitment from the state, business, labour and civic society for the greater good of all South Africans.

We recognize the role of various sectors and communities in our society in playing a positive role to create lasting change. We are committed to fostering a shared national identity and to building a society and an economy that is inclusive.

While our mandate is from the South African people, the new progressive agenda  recognizes the reality of global interdependence. We remain firmly committed to pursuing a development-centred foreign policy in Africa. We seek to influence global policy making on critical issues, notably development, human rights, international trade, global warming, international finance, and security.

As the Head of Policy for COPE, I invite all South Africans to participate in giving birth to the Progressive Agenda.  We ask you to join hands and celebrate this moment with us.

Statement issued by COPE national spokesperson, Phillip Dexter, August 6 2009

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