COPE'S POLICY POSITION HI-JACKED BY THE ANC
COPE's failure to articulate its agreed policy positions, has without a doubt led to the ANC hi-jacking some of these positions. One of the resolutions passed at the inaugural Congress in Bloemfontein is the professionalisation of the civil service, which would ensure that jobs for pals, incompetence, cronyism and nepotism were a thing of the past.
I noted with a slight hint of a smirk when President Zuma boldly announced at his January 8 statement that, in anticipation of the local elections next year, the ANC would ensure that their candidates (for Councillors and Mayors) were not holding senior positions in the party. Gwede Mantashe in his organisational overview report has gone on record to criticise the manner in which deployment is handled in the organisation, often characterised by appointment of those loyal to those in power, without necessarily having the skills to occupy such positions.
Although in typical political rhetoric, the ANC's seeming about turn makes a lot of sense, the practical reality gives credence to the fact that what they are saying, is not what they're doing; something we have now become accustomed to. On Sunday, 24 January 2010, City Press revealed the extent to which supporters of President Zuma have benefited from his administration by being rewarded with senior posts. These range from so-called independent Political Analysts, Sipho Seepe (who was instrumental in ensuring that charges against the President were dropped by the NPA), to kwaito stars, Mo Shaik , John Qwelane and the list goes on.
One of our key responsibilities as citizens is to ensure that we are familiar with and read the ANC's policy positions due to them being implemented in Government, and as a result, affect the ordinary person on the ground. Personally, I have certainly read all the Governing party's resolutions and policy positions from Polokwane, and not once have I come across policies on (professionalising the civil service) similar to that of COPE's.
As an organisation, we at COPE discussed and agreed to the professionalisation of the civil service quite emphatically, and this was one of our campaign tickets prior to the election. We categorically stated that positions in the public service should be opened up to qualified, experienced candidates capable to deliver on the job at hand and put in key performance appraisals linked to performance reward in the form of bonuses or incentives. We even boldly declared that such positions would not be based on party lines, but would be opened up to the South African public wanting to serve in this domain, provided that they had the skill and experience to be able to execute their duties.
It is malicious that a once glorious movement, currently typified by crass material amassment at Government's expense and factionalism, has resorted to carbon copying COPE's positions. To me, this is an indication that from a policy perspective, we are on track. However, in order for us to deliver on the mandate at hand, it has never been more imperative to articulate our policy positions that the current moment.
On a positive note and in anticipation of the looming national policy and elective conferences this year, it is critical that the calibre of candidates we elect at these conferences are individuals capable of communicating and articulating the party's positions in the public domain and would have the maximum impact and would spark much needed debate for change. We cannot continue being the brains of the ANC, giving them ammunition and ideas to implement on our behalf.
The time is now, ke nako!
Sipho Nghona is a member of COPE. He writes in his personal capacity.
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