Congress of the People | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Congress_of_the_People_logo.svg){kind=logo} | |
| President | Mosiuoa Lekota |
| Chairperson | Teboho Loate |
| Secretary-General | Diratsagae Alfred Kganare |
| Spokesperson | vacant |
| Deputy President | vacant |
| Deputy Secretary General | vacant |
| Founders | |
| Founded | 16 December 2008 |
| Split from | African National Congress |
| Headquarters | 34–36 Fricker Road, Illovo, Gauteng |
| Student wing | COPE Students Movement |
| Youth wing | COPE Youth Movement |
| Women's wing | COPE Women's Movement |
| Business and Professionals' wing | COPE Business and Professionals |
| Ideology | Social democracy Social liberalism Progressivism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| National affiliation | Collective for Democracy |
| Colours | Yellow Red |
| Slogan | Reliable, Accountable, Incorruptible |
| National Assembly seats | 0 / 400 |
| NCOP seats | 0 / 90 |
| Provincial Legislatures | 0 / 430 |
| Party flag | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Congress_of_the_People_flag.svg) | |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Congress of the People (COPE) is a South African political party formed in 2008 by former members of the African National Congress (ANC).[1] The party was founded by former ANC members Mosiuoa Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa and Mluleki George to contest the 2009 general election. The party was announced following a national convention held in Sandton on 1 November 2008, and was founded at a congress held in Bloemfontein on 16 December 2008. The name echoes the 1955 Congress of the People at which the Freedom Charter was adopted by the ANC and other parties, a name strongly contested by the ANC in a legal move dismissed by the Pretoria High Court.[2]
In the 2009 general election, the party received 1,311,027 votes and a 7.42% share of the vote. Following the 2009 elections, COPE experienced a leadership dispute between factions supporting Mosiuoa Lekota and others supporting Mbhazima Shilowa,[3] that led to a 2013 court battle,[4] and continued into 2014.[5] After the 2014 election, COPE was left with only three seats in the National Assembly, down from 30 seats in 2009.[6]
Despite its reduced stature, the party has joined with the much larger Democratic Alliance (DA) and several other smaller parties to co-govern Nelson Mandela Bay, Johannesburg and Tshwane after the 2016 municipal elections.
COPE had its worst performance at the 2024 national and provincial elections by garnering a mere 0.09 percent of the votes. The party failed to secure a single seat in parliament as result of this poor performance.[7]
- ^ "New party to challenge ANC rule". BBC News. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Cope wins name battle". The Times. UK. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008.
- ^ "'Infighting necessary' - Cope". www.sowetanlive.co.za. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ^ Shanti Aboobaker (27 October 2013). "Shilowa row goes back to court". IOL News. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ Khulekani Magubane (7 January 2014). "COPE factions headed for court battle". www.bdlive.co.za. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ^ "Only COPE has lost more seats than ANC". BDlive. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Election Results and Allocation of Seats in Parliament (National Assembly) and Provincial Legislatures: 2024". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 2 August 2024.