Congress Must Proceed as Planned to keep the hope of change alive

The Congress of the People Voting Structures signed hereunder want to affirm the CNC decision of the last weekend that the National Congress must go ahead as scheduled from the 27^th and 30 May 2010 at St Georges Conference centre in Centurion.

The following must be brought to the attention of all South Africans:

1. We are satisfied with the audit of the branches as led by Comrade Neville Mompati. This is a credible process that made sure that no illegal branches are set up while ensuring that branch establishment guidelines are followed.  

2. We are satisfied that all preparations for the Congress are in place and that the highest decision making body of COPE must convene and receive reports from its leadership; adopt policies and elect a new national leadership.  

3. We reject with contempt the conduct of the President of COPE where despite having chaired the CNC he now questions the decisions of the same CNC to proceed with the National Congress. The so called conditions for the congress to proceed are superfluous as they are dishonest: We want to dismiss them all thus:

·    There is no investigation against Comrade Shilowa. The audit of COPE finances both at COPE House and Parliament are almost complete and they will be ready to be scrutinized by the Congress next week.

·    There is no basis to use policy readiness as an excuse not to go to conference to account. The Congress has a responsibility to deliberate on the current policy situation at COPE and give the organization direction

·    There is no basis to investigate the Provincial Congresses of the Western Cape and Gauteng as demanded by the President. These conferences have nothing to do with the ability of a summit of branches to gather and deliberate. This is part of a desperate attempt to stop the congress at all costs. These matters can be dealt with by the Congress itself or by the newly elected leadership.      

·    There is no basis for another branch audit. We expect that branches that failed the audit must correct the errors pointed out by the audit team. Their disqualification to come to Congress is not the end of their existence. COPE does not exist merely to go to Congress. We expect the project of branch building to carry on. There are many COPE branches that missed the deadline for Congress but continue to exist and impact on their communities.     

4. We note that while they make pronouncements about the state of readiness for the Congress. Lekota and his team continue to speak to the provincial representatives to cut leadership deals for themselves. They have made suggestions to the team to be ‘accommodated' in the Congress Working Committee. We have not rejected those overtures as our aim is never to exclude but to build an inclusive COPE. We however are alarmed that while these talks are going on the same leaders are giving an impression to the public that the Congress is not going ahead. While our door remains open we will not tolerate dishonesty in this process.    

5. We believe that COPE must not once again fall into the trap of a negotiated leadership arrangement. Many of the voting structures represented here today have pronounced on Mbhazima Shilowa as our preferred candidate for COPE Presidency. We reiterate that choice endorsed by our structures as well as various provincial structures that have been meeting over the last three weeks. We know that calls for postponement of the Congress are directly linked to this emerging reality of the emergence of Mr Shilowa. We are also aware that this is why he is a subject of a smear campaign. We reaffirm our confidence in him as a leader of a dynamic collective that will take COPE to the next level.

6. The COPE Women Movement has pronounced yesterday and have endorsed this position. The Youth movement will meet at the weekend and is expected to similarly pronounce as such. The Congress will vote next Friday for a new era of hope in COPE.

Jointly issued by the Provinces of: 

Gauteng - John

Eastern Cape - Andile

Limpopo - Avhatakali

Free State - Ralabese

North West - Professor

Northern Cape - Mayenzeke

Western Cape - Mbulelo

COPE Youth Movement  - Sthembiso

COPE Womens Movement  - Nozipho

EVENTS LEADING TOWARD CONGRESS: THE FACT SHEET

When the Congress of the People was conceived, many South African from all walks of life identified with this cause in an effort to save the country from collapse as led by the ruling group. The principles under which COPE was established are well articulated in the National Manifesto on which we mobilize all South African citizens. These principles and values remain relevant today.

As we gravitated towards the inaugural Congress of COPE on the 16^th December 2008, many people joined or associated themselves with this organisation in large numbers. Whilst the principles and values were well articulated, some would have come with other intentions some of which were more personal than the cause. Aware of these realities, we proceeded towards the inaugural congress which was a great success in many respects albeit with serious limitations.

In this Congress, participants at the Congress agreed not to elect leadership but to appoint on consensus a collective of leadership whose primary mandate was to lead the organisation towards a successful elections campaign and convene a FIRST elective Congress within a period of 18 to 24 months. This would enable such leadership collective to establish COPE as an organisation with basic features of a living organism.

The decision not to elect leadership has been proven to be the most devastating decision for this organisation from day one, however, this was more expressed as the organisation had to decide on the Presidential Candidate for COPE. A decision well taken and executed and which was consistent with the policy position of the inaugural Congress. This is a decision that COPE must at all times be proud of.

It is however, clear that this is a decision that has not set well with some of the leading members of this new organisation.

In the Congress National Committee of July 2009, the correctness of the decision was however confirmed by all.

In May 2009, in a National Strategic Session, the CNC instructed members of COPE and leaders to prioritise the Establishment of Branches across the Voting Districts of the country. This was to be the most important task for COPE members.

In this regard, the CNC instructed that guideline to regulate this process be made ready and this was done as early as July 2009. So the process of establishing basic units of the organisation started. All CNC members were in this regard, instructed to ensure that their own branches were established. So, the work of establishing branches began and as such, provinces were to report on the progress on a regular basis and this was done in every CNC since.

This process, would have naturally led to the assembly of branches of COPE, the First National Elective Congress of the COPE. Indeed some amongst the CNC took this task with tardiness and it can be argued that to date some remain with no branches where they reside.

Guided by regular provincial reports through the State of the Organisation report, the Congress Working Committee convened a Special CNC meeting on the 5^th of February 2010, to consider amongst others a CWC proposal on the convening of the National Congress. There were only two items on the agenda for this CNC in the main.

On the National Congress, the CWC presented various options guided by the inaugural congress resolution to convene the first National Congress within a period of 18-24 months from the inaugural congress. After thorough considerations, the CNC resolved to convene the National Congress for the 27^th to 30^th May 2010 in Gauteng province.

In closing the said CNC meeting, the President declared that a campaign for leadership of COPE has started. He declared contest between himself and his deputy and instructed all to go out and campaign either for himself or his deputy. He declared his availability within the country until congress and warned all CNC members that the process will require resources. So the President started the campaign for leadership on the 5^th of February 2010.

As part of this decision, the CNC established a National Congress Preparatory Committee under the political leadership of the General Secretary. In the same CNC, a cutoff date for branches to be established for participation at the National Congress was set for the 31^st of March 2010.

Naturally, from that day, members of COPE individually and as collectives began to engage in a thinking process about leadership of this organisation beyond Congress. It should be said that the CNC held in November 2010 would have adopted a framework on leadership issues within COPE.

The Congress Preparatory Committee started its work from the onset. Regular reports were presented both to the CWC and CNC and progress was always appreciated.

The CNC in March 2010 adopted Terms of Reference for audit of branches and re-affirmed the principles guiding leadership issues in COPE. At this point leadership discussions were at an advanced stage albeit differently from one province to another.

Audit of branches took place in April 2010 with reports regularly presented. An audit committee was adopted by the CWC to discharge its responsibilities as elaborated in the terms of reference. Two teams were assembled and dispatched to all nine provinces.

On the 2^nd of May 2010, the CNC adopted nomination guidelines for branches to begin the process of nominating and as such this process began from the 3^rd of May 2010. Branches pronounced their preferences and these were presented and consolidated in either Provincial General Councils and/or Provincial Congresses some of which would have been held on the weekend of the 8^th of May 2010.

It is at the time when branches of COPE began to pronounce their preferences on leadership and in particular on the Presidency, that things changed.

The nominations were clearly preferring the current 1^st Deputy President of COPE instead of the serving President as a candidate to take the Congress of the People beyond establishment phase.

Some few members of the currently serving Congress National Committee were not nominated whilst the majority was retained. Cdes Ngonyama and Philip Dexter are not yet nominated into the CWC whilst the rest has been retained like, Cdes Shilowa, Lobe, Dr. Dandala, Nolitha Vukuza, Lyndall Shope Mafole, Mluleki George etc. New leaders have been nominated to the CWC.

Cdes Julie Kilian, Madisha, etc have been nominated to serve in the Congress National Committee thus far.

The two comrades have since made it their business to campaign for the postponement of the Congress against the CNC decision which they participated.

It must be confirmed that only Mpumalanga province had proposed without convincing reasons, the postponement of Congress. This was entertained and with Cdes Ngonyama and Dexter present, the CNC arrived at a conclusion that there is no basis for postponement of Congress.

The last CNC held on the 14 to 15 May 2010, adopted the following as part of Congress Preparation and reflections on the state of readiness.

• Electoral College to preside on the elections process was adopted;

• Appointment of the EISA to technically run elections was affirmed;

• Affirmed Congress budget as was adopted on the 2^nd of May;

• Nomination of delegates forms as distributed;

• Draft Congress Programme was adopted;

• Draft State of the Organisation Report to Congress was adopted;

• Noted the draft audited financial report to Congress;

• The National Audit Report was adopted;

• Allocation of delegates to Congress by provinces was adopted;

• Re-affirmed the registration process and fees for all Congress participants;

• Province submitted list of their guests to Congress;

• Instructed the CWC to further finalise budget and procurement process;

• Discussed and adopted draft Political Perspective Document, draft Policies and draft Constitutional Amendments towards Congress;

• The CNC on the 2^nd of May, approved the convening of both Gauteng and Western Cape Congress as long as they would have demonstrated to the General Secretary their state of readiness including the audit process that was near completion;

• The CNC on the 2^nd of May 2010 resolved that the General Secretary shall be the main spokesperson on all matters related to National Congress;

• Payment and final visit to the Congress venue was conducted by the Deputy President and National Treasurer whilst the CNC was in session; and last but not least

• The CNC declared that we are READY for Congress.

What is this so-called non readiness?

Yes, it can be said that these comrades who have decided to undermine the CNC collective and turned themselves into COPE spokespersons, are not ready. Their definition of COPE readiness for Congress is when they are nominated into certain positions of their choice. So, they are NOT ready if they are not nominated, Strange.

Who is not ready?

We must ask the question, whether the state of readiness is measured through nomination process?

We must ask the question, why Cde Ngonyama has turned himself to be a Spokesperson of COPE? CNC gave this responsibility to General Secretary.

Why these comrades when they lose nomination by branches, want COPE to collapse. Is COPE about them NOT the people?

Why would Cde Ngonyama see it necessary and correct to undermine the CNC decision and go out to media to contradict the official spokesperson of COPE on the matter of National Congress? What kind of behavior is this?

The President of COPE on the 5^th of February said we must go out and campaign, why would he now argue that the CNC is not ready to convene Congress?  Is it because he has not yet been nominated for the position of the President.

Comrades, COPE is not an organisation of the leaders but an organisation of the people.

COPE is not about National Congress but about the well being of the lives of the poor masses of this country.

COPE exists pre-congress and must exist post-congress. There shall be COPE after the 30^th of May 2010.

Our focus should be to look at COPE beyond Congress towards the Local Government Elections 2011, the General Elections 2014 and faster to the General Elections of 2019 when we must present a case to South Africans to give COPE a chance to demonstrate its commitments.

So what is happening?

Very few currently serving members of CWC (Ngonyama and Dexter) are forcing members of COPE to nominate them into the CWC failure of which the Congress of the People must not execute its Constitutional Responsibility and continue to be led by leadership of consensus. This is about their own personal egos and ambitions to be in leadership position of their choices.

Some want to be chosen by forcing members of COPE to be elevated to serve in structures that COPE members seem to be unanimously agreeing that they are not ready to serve in.

These comrades as written in their Press Statement of the 18^th of May 2010, decided to constitute themselves into a group called "members and leaders supporting the re-election of Mosiuoa Lekota as President of COPE". This is a group that in their press statement is mobilizing for a split in the party and further defines the vision of each of the envisaged COPE as they argue that "there are two different visions of COPE that members need to consider and debate and then decide between"

This is very clear a call for what they call a split. This is extremely urgent and requires urgent attention. 

What has to be done?

• There are more compelling reasons for the National Congress to convene as planned.

• There is an URGENT need to establish whether there are any grounds for the Congress not to proceed as planned.

• Members of COPE in particular branches MUST be told the TRUTH, therefore Thursday and Friday MUST be used to be get into direct CONTACT with members explaining the above.

• All resources required to discharge this political responsibility must be made available NOW.

• Provinces, Regions, Sub Regions and Branches must tell the National their state of readiness for the Congress.

• Provinces, Regions, Sub Regions and Branches MUST tell the CNC their state of readiness for Congress.

• Drastic actions MUST be taken against members of the CNC who publicly misrepresent the decisions of the CNC and break the protocol of the organisation.

• Participation of every CNC member is important.

We must at this moment of call appreciate that ours shall and should be a struggle. No easy struggles and therefore commitment and sacrifice should be the order of the day.

We have the masses to defend and lead our struggle, let's give them all the information to be able to discharge their responsibility of saving the struggle.

All is possible.

Thanks

Statement issued by Onkgopotse JJ Tabane, Head of the Technical Committee for Congress Preparations, May 20 2010

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