COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN WESTERN CAPE MUNICIPALITIES

The Congress of the People remains committed to the National Co-operation Agreement entered into at national leadership level between COPE and the DA to co-govern certain municipalities in the Western Cape and the Northern Cape.

Any resolution to amend or withdraw from the coalition agreement can therefore only be taken at the level of national leadership of the parties to the agreement.  The COPE national leadership has not considered or resolved to withdraw from the cooperation agreement and the status quo therefore remains in full force and effect as per the memorandum of understanding.

The national leadership of COPE is however aware of and concerned about implementation challenges experienced at local level in some of the municipalities in the Western Cape.  In terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, such issues that cannot be resolved at local level should be escalated to provincial level and if necessary, to national level.

COPE will therefore engage with the DA's federal and provincial structures in an attempt to have the contentious matters addressed and resolved in a mutually acceptable manner in the best interest of the relevant municipality and all the residents of the respective towns.

Joint statement issued byDennis Bloem, Cope's Acting Head of Governance Matters, and Theuns Botha, Deputy Leader of the DA Western Cape, January 16 2013

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