DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION OF COPE IN VARIOUS MEDIA ROOMS. THE OTHER SIDE COMMANDING MAJORITY SIDELINED FOR PROPAGANDA PURPOSES OF LEKOTA AS HE BETRAYS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL FOUNDING OBJECTIVES. COPE SHALL RISE FROM THE BOTTOM
Various news rooms have given leverage to Lekota and his mission to sell our organization, Congress of The People (Cope) to the highest bidder without the main rule, listening to the other side, as matters are pending in the court of law in South Gauteng High Court. We regret this misrepresentation as it seeks to deepen confusion to our membership and people in general.
We reiterate our position that, Cope was not formed to play oppositionist politics in our country but to serve as an honest, disciplined alternative of the left. We derive this from adopted Freedom Charter in Bloemfontein inaugural congress. Surely, Cope respects all political parties that constitute our constitutional democracy.
We also know that there are good men and women in all these parties as also bad men and women. Having made this observation, we note that no conglomeration of parties shall rise to the standard we set ourselves to achieve within body politics of South Africa except, individuals accepting authority and command of Congress of The People moving forward.
Politics of merger have never been on our agenda and shall never be in future. For Cope to claim leadership of the country does not rest with other parties but people having confidence to the party as a whole.
We dismiss with contempt Lekota' drive as it serves the purpose of luring our people to surrender themselves to DA unconsciously. We call on our people to distance themselves from such calls as it seeks to undermine our revolutionary course of changing political discourse of our country.
Our people must be patient as South Gauteng High Court case hearing is to resume from the 5th December to 9th December 2011. We again call upon leaders of other parties to allow Cope settle its disputes before engaging with any of its leaders. The suggested meeting of parties must be put aside as such a move shall tarnish their image not only in public but within their constituencies. Lekota remains a fugitive of democracy and has no mandate in entering into any political agreement with whoever on behalf of Cope.
Any political party that shall attend such a meeting, stand to be condemned by all South Africans without exception. We call upon all parties to respect internal processes to come to final conclusion before any step could be taken. It is Lekota who took the organization to court. We respect the judiciary and as such, we cannot allow any one to pre-empt findings or seek to undermine the court outcome as Lekota seeks to do.
Our organization shall indeed rise from the bottom after all the squabbles inflicted upon us by Lekota and his right wing forces. Victory is certain.
Selective reporting on developments in Cope worries us a great deal as there are two sides involved in the dispute. Such a practice takes away our democratic right to be heard and expression of our views.
We hope media houses shall respect this right and allow us space to air our views which represent majority of Cope membership and supports.
Statement issued by Congress of the People (Shilowa faction), November 15 2011
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