ANC welcomes back Cope members and forges agreement to work with independent councillor

The ANC today welcomed back hundreds of former Cope members who left the ANC to join Cope. They had joined Cope when they left the ANC with independent councillor, Monwabisi Mbaliswano. He was elected a City of Cape Town councillor, supported by Cope, in November 2008.

The ANC today welcomes the fact that Councillor Mbaliswano has agreed to work closely in an alliance with the ANC.

These two important announcements were made at the school where Cope was launched by Mbazima Shilowa in the Western Cape. The venue is where Cope was born in Cape Town.

Provincial Chairperson Mcebisi Skwatsha said, ‘The ANC's elections fortunes and mass base clearly suffered when some of its members broke away to form Cope in 2008. Today's announcements is an important milestone in the battle to win back all these former members.

‘We welcome the decision by independent Councillor Monwabiso Mbaliswano to form an alliance with the ANC and his role in bringing back many ANC members from this ward who left to join Cope at the same time he left.

‘We wish to reassure former members of the ANC that there is a place for them in the ANC, which remains the only political home to advance the principles of non-racism and non-sexism in the Province. We remain committed to deepening democracy and strengthening broad based opposition to the divisive policies of the DA in the province.'  

Statement issued by the African National Congress Western Cape, June 16 2009

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