Speech by chairperson, Mosiuoa Lekota, at the opening of the Congress of the People inaugural congress, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein December 14 2008

COPE CHAIRPERSON SETS A NEW AGENDA FOR HOPE & CHANGE

Her Excellency, Mayor of the City of Mangaung,
Members of the Diplomatic Core,
Members of other Foreign Missions,
Ministers Here present,
MEC here Present,
Representatives of Political Parties here present,
members of the Press
Distinguished guests,
members and supporters of COPE,
ladies and gentlemen,
ALL PROTOCOL OBSERVED

FELLOW SOUTH AFRICANS, at our National Convention a few weeks ago we reported on the threat to our national Constitution and the state of our democracy that has been eroded over a period of time since HOPE was first injected in the hearts and minds of our people at close of CODESA negotiations.

The National Convention ended with a declaration that spelt-out the intensions, sentiments and aspirations of the South Africa People. You mandated to go to go back to constituencies and report on the proceedings of the convention, the recommendations it put forward, as well as to invite the people to contribute to the debate in search of the road to a truly peaceful, united, democratic and increasingly prosperous future SOUTH AFRICA.

In the weeks since we parted at the Sandton Convention Centre vibrant debates based on the recommendations of the national convention have raged unabated in localities, regions, provinces sister African countries as well as in such faraway continents as Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Chapters of the Congress of the People have now sprouted beyond the confines of our continent.

During this conference, we shall have occasion to report back to you on progress made and the difficulties we experienced. Suffice it to say, that the announcement of your intention and preparedness to present the country with an alternative political vehicle, capable of defending and realistically implementing the constitution of the land, as originally conceived, has been received with enthusiasm and excitement by many at home and abroad: especially, by those who believe in the Uphold of and Respect for Democracy.

THE REPORT:

Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen,

The announcement of your intention to form the Congress of the People (COPE) has affected our people's lives in many ways - both positive and negative.

I am however sad to report that, at times the negative looms as large if not larger than the positive. That intimidation and paralysing fear is now gripping sections of our society - and I mean fear identical to that of the John Vorster and PW Botha era.

Public servants now talk in whispers when they discuss COPE.

Men and women with whom we worked and shared jokes now have to look the other way when we chance upon each other along corridors of state buildings. And then explain when we meet elsewhere that they risk their jobs if they are seen to befriend us.

Both on the shop floor and at community level, tales of spying on each other (as under Apartheid) on who attends COPE meetings or not abound. More openly and glaringly, leaders of the party whose ranks many of us once proudly swelled, thrive in political hate-speech enriching their vocabulary as they go along.

Songs threatening and /or encouraging the hatred of or the killing of COPE leaders have been composed and are sung at meetings before their leadership addresses them.

Public meetings of COPE are regularly violently disrupted by people dressed in the ruling party's paraphernalia.

The prosecuting authorities of our country have been threatened with becoming ‘public enemy number one' if they should re-instate criminal charges against some among them.

Police officers who arrest leaders of the ruling party tell under oath how they are coerced to change charge-sheets to facilitate the escape of such leaders from the wrath of the law.

Eminent judges of our land, appointed by presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki respectively while Heads of state and leaders of the ruling party, have been described as counter-revolutionaries, apartheid apologists if they are black and incapable of understanding history if they are white. Lately, they are also accused of colluding with COPE whenever they return verdicts not favourable to the rulers of our country.

In the circumstances, the question is unavoidable whether the present leaders of the party in power seek to insinuate that presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki were themselves counter-revolutionaries while at the head of our nation's affairs.

Oh Yes, members of the Press, especially the Public Broadcaster, are under constant pressure to give special attention to approved new items and to ignore some such as this - your inaugural conference.

Briefly, in the short period since we announced your intention to explore the possibility of setting yourselves up as an alternative political choice for the people of South Africa, democratic practice has eluded the rulers of our country with alarming speed. President Nelson Mandela's profound early teachings in democracy have forgotten or jettisoned overnight.

But, there is another side to this coin, today the people of South Africa declare in increasing numbers that, where they were daily getting disillusioned with the government of the day, the advent of the Congress of the People (COPE) has revived their HOPES - Hopes that were first ignited by the release of Pres. N. Mandela and that thanks to COPE, a better future awaits them with renewed HOPE for CHANGE:

• Where some had already lost such hopes, they declare that we have given it back to them.

• Where many had lost the energy to go and register to vote, they declare that they are on the come back trail.

• Many who had never voted before, say COPE is the reason they will now vote.

• Young men and women, declare with confidence that COPE arrived timeously for them to make their contributions.

South Africans who had lost faith in the dream of a vibrant rainbow nation, announced by Nelson Mandela and then, left the country in despair now rally around foreign missions demanding their right to return and make their contributions towards a better future in this country.

Men and women of conscience who yesterday hung their heads in shame as they pondered the so-called leaders chosen for them, now look their counterparts in the eye as they engage with them in lively debates on the moral issues of the day.

South Africa has discovered afresh its confidence, voice and energy and it is now clear to all realists, that as Yeats once declared, "a terrible beauty is being born".

In the International Community, fresh interest in South Africans has rekindled. What doubts had begun to envelope views on the prospects of South African democracy, have now been overtaken by a cautious optimism and fresh confidence that here, unlike in many other countries, which attained to independence and democracy, exists a resilience sufficient to sustain the momentum to our promised future. That a reliable and capable partner in the drive for excellence in governance is still in gestation.

Therefore I make bold to say:

That, we owe it to our forebears in Presidents, Mandela and Mbeki to build on the foundations put in place, under their leadership, in order to avert the dangers now looming on our young democracy. We must systematically discard what blemishes exist, but cling tenaciously to that which is solid cornerstones, and then in our own right add to the ongoing construction of an edifice of excellence they initiated.

Conference must therefore go to work with vigour and determination. When we rise over the next two days, we must release to the people, a policy manifesto befitting our nations expectations. The people can no longer wait one more day, week or month. From you, is now required firm and confident leadership.

LIVING DEMOCRACY:

The most urgent task before the organisation over whose birth we are now midwives is the advocacy and teaching of how to practice democracy. The events of the weeks since you announced your intention to form yourselves into an organisation of one form or the other in order the better to service the needs of the people of South Africa, has underlined the imports of this responsibility.

FIRSTLY:, Our people must be taught to know that it is their paramount right to listen to all political parties, without interference or disruption from anybody including by what party may be in power.

They can then evaluate these parties and their policies before making informed choices. This is the freedom of association and freedom of choice at work!

SECONDLY: We must teach our members, supporters and the public as a whole that no party owns voters. Therefore, we can neither prevent other parties from persuading our members or supporters to vote for them, nor be prevented from canvassing our ideas among voters of any other political party.

As long as there is no compulsion or coercion, this is how democracy at work should operate.

THIRDLY: We have to instil the orientation of our members and voter that every election campaign can result in either a victory or a defeat for al parties. That voters may vote in their majority for any of the contesting parties. And that parties that loose must counsel their members to uphold the choice of the people.

We must avoid the pomposity of those who believe that once voted into power, one will be returned to power times without number.

The people need us to educate them to refuse to be drawn into the anarchy that might saw death and destruction. In conditions of anarchy, it is the people who suffer most and they must be taught to shun any effort or attempt to encourage anarchy.

Leadership that understands democracy and is itself democratic knows that it must be accountable and MUST pass the test of scrutiny if the people are to reward it with re-election. Such leadership is forever on its toes, anxious to fulfil what promises may have been made to the people.

It lacks the complacency and is incapable of the arrogance of those who declare themselves to be life-presidents. History has placed upon us the enormous responsibility to counsel the people of South Africa against such pretenders to democracy and we must spare no ounce of energy in carrying out this task.

In executing this task however we must equally hold ourselves accountable on appropriate democratic values and practice. We must be ready to lead by example. Where we are abused and subjected to hate speech we must refuse to retaliate in similarly shameful fashion. We must set national standards and focus on the substantive questions under discussion. Let the people judge for themselves which leadership is deserving of their trust. The people WILL NEVER let us down!

Our leadership must be characterised by that humility which understands that, who will be king among our people is he who will serve, serve and serve! Yes, the leadership of the Congress of the People must love the people on one condition only - THAT, WE SERVE THE PEOPLE!

Only such leadership can make real the declaration:

"The People Shall Govern!"

I THANK YOU !!!

Source: Congress of the People, December 14 2008