COMMENTS FROM COPE SENIOR LEADERS SHOW DIVISIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002254 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019 TAGS: PGOV SF SUBJECT: COMMENTS FROM COPE SENIOR LEADERS SHOW DIVISIONS RUN DEEP PRETORIA 00002254 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Madeline Seidenstricker for r easons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Congress of the People (COPE),which marked its first anniversary on November 1, remains divided between competing factions who support either Mosiuoa Lekota or Mbhazima Shilowa. Competing newspaper stories in "City Press" and the "Sunday Independent" recently underscored the party's rifts as Lekota and Shilowa's close ally, Mvume Dandala, offered their assessments of the party's current state of play. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) In a front page story in "City Press" on November 1, COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota argued that the party he helped to found is not doing enough to serve the public's interests. Lekota said COPE parliamentarians have failed to challenge the ruling African National Congress (ANC) on sensitive issues and warned that if legislators do not "shape up," the Democratic Alliance (DA) would beat COPE in the 2011 local elections. Moffet Mofokeng and George Matlala wrote that COPE held an emergency meeting in mid-October at which Lekota told COPE's parliamentary leader Mvume Dandala that the party "had done nothing to set itself apart in the National Assembly." He argued that the DA is a better public watchdog and suggested that parliamentarians write monthly reports to demonstrate how they are spending their time in Cape Town. Lekota also told party members at the meeting that COPE's leader in Parliament should work with other opposition parties to ensure the ANC is held accountable. He asserted that this would "set the scene for new political alliances ahead of the election." (Note: On the topic of political alliances, DA leader Helen Zille has reportedly tasked Ryan Coetzee, who was instrumental in formulating the party's campaign strategy earlier this year and for compiling the party's polling data, with finding ways in which the DA and COPE can work together ahead of the 2011 local elections. End Note.) ¶3. (SBU) Meanwhile, in an editorial in the "Sunday Independent," Dandala drew a different picture of the party. He acknowledged some of the party's shortcomings, but did not point to the legislature as a problem and argued that the future still looks bright for the party. Dandala admitted that COPE has been slow in creating a unique culture and ;noted the challenge remains for COPE to rid itself of the impression of being a pseudo ANC. He wrote, "The observation that COPE has battled to define itself in positive terms is not far fetched. It is a criticism that COPE is taking seriously." Dandala said that the party's national committee was correct to point out shortcomings in the handling of leadership issues within the party and argued that COPE will learn from such shortcomings. He penned, "What we know today is that there is a commitment amongst our leaders and people to work together to correct those things that may hinder the progress of our movement." Dandala noted that the party is building branches and working hard to consolidate support. He claimed, "In the long run, that (building branches) is what will inspire confidence among South Africans, when they see COPE involved in their day-to-day lot. Similarly, the establishment of our constituency offices will ensure that we live up to our promise to open a channel between people and their representatives." He ended by writing that COPE's Qtheir representatives." He ended by writing that COPE's positive message and ability to connect with voters at the branch level will ensure that the party grows into the future. ¶4. (SBU) In a separate development that also indicates where COPE stands more than a year after its creation, COPE Western Cape provincial leader Allan Boesak resigned from the party because of what he termed "the infighting and disorder that have plagued the organization since the election." He warned that the "mud is rising within the party." Boesak was a controversial COPE figure -- partly because of his 1999 conviction of fraud -- from the time he joined the organization, and reaction to his departure was surprisingly positive. (Note: A majority of commentators on both the "Mail and Guardian" and the IOL news pages were glad to see him go. Even Desmond Tutu said that he was glad to see Boesak leave politics and return to his religious endeavors. End Note.) ¶5. (C) Comment: Lekota's statements do not demonstrate what Dandala termed as the commitment amongst COPE's leaders to cooperate on difficult issues. Lekota instead seems to be ready to cast blame for the party's failures now and in the future. His stance probably stems from the fact that he was PRETORIA 00002254 002.2 OF 002 not selected to go to Parliament himself but rather was "asked" to build COPE's branches across the country. Dandala's message is an appeal to South Africans to retain the hope many felt when the party began last year. However, Dandala lacks the political credentials to withstand an attack from someone with the experience of Lekota. As the infighting continues, messages about the party's hopeful future are losing their impact. End Comment. GIPS