So, what do you stand for?

By Jessica Farley

On 2 November 2008, less than six months before the recent general elections, a group of people convened to discuss the fractured political environment of the ANC and what it represented. There, it was agreed that it was time for a new political formation. The Congress of the People was subsequently born.

Now, when the big mac daddy’s of Shilowa and Lekota spear headed the new party and poured in all of their combined impressive political experience, external talk started about the new anti-ANC and the possibility of a fresh ruling party. Putting the cart before the horse is a minor understatement, but that doesn’t make the advent of COPE any less important for the 2009 elections.

What they did was gain exposure. At a time when the political fanaticism was at an all time high, they introduced themselves, they made their mission statement known and they began a very important process.

By the by, for those of you who are unsure of what COPE stand for, the vision follows: Our vision for South Africa is for a democratic, inclusive, prosperous country which shuns all racial, ethnic, gender, narrow chauvinistic stereotypes and prejudices in favour of a caring society, where shared national identity and pride are deeply rooted; and where the freedoms of the people are untrammelled by a selfish political leadership; and where as a country we are at peace with our neighbours and the world.

I do like the sound of that. Basically, the ANC, while historically relevant and important to South Africa, are struggling to make the transition even now from liberation movement to ruling party. They are steeped in history that is so important, but, unfortunately, also politically limiting and a scratch my back scratch your back mentality is dangerously prevalent. For many, many years, they operated as an underground campaign, forced to hold their cards very close to their chest - important for a liberation movement, but damning for a ruling political party. COPE are trying to move beyond that to a democratic and inclusive country. Its aim is to avoid the fallings of being a historically ‘black’ party like the ANC or a historically ‘white’ party like the DA and to just represent themselves as a party for South Africans.

That mentality, piggy backing on the first real chance of an opposition party to the ANC in the form of the stronger DA and COPE means that, politically, South Africa has made massive strides. This truly exciting time in politics can only mean good things. I, personally, am very excited to see the slow bubble of COPE and the DA up against the ANC with its first real show of opposition since 1994 boil to an impressive crescendo in time for election 2013.