COPE is ready to go to Congress

The Congress of the People is ready to go to conference next month. The General Secretary today released a media statement to clarify mis information in the public domain that suggests that COPE is not ready for its much awaited elective Congress. "We are ready to go to congress tomorrow." declared the General Secretary.

The CNC in its meeting early this year approved the appointment of a Congress Preparatory Committee headed by the General Secretary Ms Charlotte Lobe as well as a Technical Preparatory Committee in various areas of expertise headed by the Political Advisor to COPE Parliamentary Leader, Onkgopotse JJ Tabane. Both committees have been hard at work to ensure that the Congress takes place on the 27th to the 30 May 2010 at St. Georges Conference Centre in Johannesburg.

Delegates

"At the moment the number of branches that have been launched ahead of the conference stands at 2 360. This will make the conference close to 3000 strong if other categories of voters are included - these includes members of the CNC, Provincial Leadership, the Leadership of the Youth and women and members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures. With VIP guests and non-voting delegated expected to make up the balance of the close to 3000 Delegates expected to gather to determine the future of COPE.

Six provinces have so far been audited and the rest are being audited to be completed by the end of the week. The CNC will be appraised of the outcomes of the audit at a special meeting convened on Sunday the 1st May 2010.  Given this audit the CWC last week urged provinces not to hold provincial conferences in order for these to be guided by confirmed and audited branches.

The agenda of Congress

The CWC has so far received a report on the programme of the conference that will start with Registration of delegates at the COPE Accreditation Centre in Pretoria on Thursday 27th April 2010 as well as a cultural celebration to open the conference on the first day where a high profile key note guests will address delegates ahead of the COPE President's State of the Party Address and a Political Report that is expected to set the tone for the Congress.

Conference will also receive reports from the policy head on the policy development process, the general secretary on the state of the organization as well as the treasurer on the state of the finances. Delegates are expected to vigorously engage these and many other topical issues in a conference that will become a working meeting through as many as 15 working groups expected to produce the resolutions and  strategy to keep COPE in the running for governance over the next five years as well as sharpen its current Role as official opposition in 5 legislatures and the third biggest party in Parliament.

Debate sessions that are expected to be heated include the much spoken about political realignment as well as the finalisation of COPE's elections strategy for 2011 and 2014.

Elections

COPE has appointed the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) to run its elections. EISA will report to the Electoral College that will be announced in the course of next week. This will ensure a fair, credible as well as a professionally run election. Following the appointment of such an electoral college the nomination process will be opened in the course of May for the branches to nominate their choices of leadership for COPE.

According to the draft conference programme the leadership will be announced on the second day of the conference and the new President will address the nation on Sunday 30 May at 11 o'clock.

Speaking in Johannesburg after receiving a briefing from the Technical committee the General Secretary expressed satisfaction that the preparations are at  a very advanced stage and nothing will stop delegates from gathering to shape the future of COPE and give South Africans renewed hope in the building of an alternative government".

The General Secretary is expected to convene a Media Briefing after the Special CNC Meeting in the course of next week to inform the public about the outcomes of the audit of branches that will make up COPE's first elective Congress.

Statement issued by the Office of the General Secretary, Congress of the People, April 28 2010

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