Cope’s squabbles sad for democracy

Journalists who were around as South Africa transitioned to democracy in the ’90s remember Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota as an honest ANC spokesperson, but also as a politician committed to his principles.

This may sound like the start of a funeral eulogy for Lekota – but he is still alive.

What this might be, though, is his political epitaph, after the party he founded, the Congress of the People (Cope), suspended him yesterday.

ALSO READ: Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota suspended for dividing party

Whatever the reasons for his ouster are irrelevant – as irrelevant as the party itself.

Cope has never been able to scale the heights of its promise, back when it was formed in 2008 by a group of ANC members alarmed about the drift of their party into looting and incompetence.

They were ahead of the game, in that many others would only reach their conclusions late in the Jacob Zuma era as state capture took theft to a new level.

Very few people joined this new congress – and Lekota and his comrades found out that life outside the ANC could be very cold and friendless.

Today, though, many more are asking the same questions Lekota did. Perhaps we might see a genuine people’s movement which challenges, or even ousts, the ANC.