Why there’s not much hope for Cope

This op-ed was written on the eve of South Africa’s elections in April.
When Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa announced they were “serving divorce papers” on the African National Congress (ANC), their political home, there was a frenzy of speculation that this would result in a tectonic shift in South Africa’s political and electoral [...]

Devious Shikota is merely Mbeki 2.0

Come 2009 elections, Shikota won’t be getting my vote. While their pro-constitutional rhetoric is encouraging, it’s also hard to believe.
Where was Lekota’s commitment to the constitution when he was in Mbeki’s cabinet? He seemed quite happy to toe the party line when it came to Aids, Zimbabwe and other issues.
It’s tempting took think the likes [...]

Talking points at the National Convention

The first day of Lekota’s National Convention has passed and, by all accounts, been a success, with almost 5000 delegates in attendance. On the convention’s website, there is a useful summary of what the speakers said (a list that includes Mosiuoa Lekota, former Cosatu stalwart Willie Madisha and Unisa vice-chancellor Barney Pityana) .
In her weekly [...]

Quote of the day

Rhoda Kadalie, in today’s Business Day, on the Lekota dissidents:
Having failed to crush Zuma, these rebels are now plunging headlong into calling a national convention, not because they believe in a constitutional democracy and the Freedom Charter, as they claim. It is about revenge. They will destroy Zuma even if it means destroying their beloved [...]

Rebel party gathers critical mass

The M&G analyses the potential support Mosiuoa Lekota’s breakaway party has across the country in this article. The most likely sources of support are the division-wracked Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape.
Today The Times quotes Lekota on further plans for the convention, with a new party possibly launched on Reconciliation Day (16 December). Click [...]

Shilowa teams up with Terror

Today Mbhazima Shilowa, Gauteng’s former premier, announced his resignation from the ANC and his decision to join Mosiuoa Lekota’s new political formation.
According to The Times, Shilowa will be the convenor-in-chief of the convention that will discuss the formation of the new breakaway party, which is to be held on 2 November.
Ray Hartley, editor of The [...]

New party about power not policy

Karima Brown, the Business Day’s political  editor, writes a devastating analysis of Mosiuoa Lekota’s moves to break away from the ANC. On the motivations of the formation of the new party she writes that:
It points to a group of powerful individuals who accessed state resources so that they could rule in perpetuity. The move to form a new [...]

Lekota (sort of) forms new party

At a briefing hosted by Radio 702 this morning, Mosiuoa Lekota announced the imminent formation of a convention that in the coming weeks would “determine how to proceed, to defend democracy in this country.” He indicated that it would be likely that this new movement would be contesting the 2009 general election, describing the move [...]

Terror strikes… and Jeff responds

Mosiuoa Lekota, the former ANC chairperson who recently resigned from the cabinet, sent an open letter to the ANC yesterday, lambasting the movement for forsaking the values of the Freedom Charter. Jeff Radebe responded on behalf of the ANC — rather viciously.
This public spat could signal the birth of the much anticipated breakaway party. The [...]

Shock exodus from cabinet

Practically half the South African government’s cabinet has resigned including popular finance minister Trevor Manuel and deputy-president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngucka.  This is a shock — especially because Manuel had claimed he was staying on. After meetings with Zuma, it was believed that everybody (with the exception of the odious Essop Pahad, minister in the presidency, and [...]