Both the ruling ANC and the newly formed Congress of the People held rallies in Bloemfontein, where they both proclaimed themselves the true defenders of the country’s constitution .
ANC president Jacob Zuma urged war veterans of the ANC’s erstwhile military wing, Mkhonto weSizwe (MK), to defend the ANC against attempts to divide it.
Speaking at a rally celebrating MK’s 47th anniversary, he said — in what can be taken as a reference to the challenge posed by Cope — that MK had been established to “defend the people” and hasten the journey to freedom.
The ANC, Zuma said, needed MK soldiers to defend it once more from attempts to divide the party.
“We must defend our hard-won democracy and our country’s constitution. We must defend our democratic institutions and ensure that they are never, ever used to fight factional political battles,” Zuma told a 13000-strong crowd at Seisa Ramabodu stadium.
He was speaking minutes after Cope leader Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota told his party’s inaugural conference that there was a “crisis” of leadership in the ANC.
Cope, he suggested, would, as its first priority, defend the constitution from attack by the ruling party.
Responding to Zuma’s call, the chairman of the MK Military Veterans’ a**ociation, Kebby Maphatsoe, said the veterans were ready to defend the party from attacks.
“We are ready for war and nobody must stand in our way when we mobilise for the ANC,” he said.
On the closing day of its conference at the University of the Free State, Cope received a major boost when anti-apartheid cleric Allan Boesak and his wife, Elna, joined the party, triggering cheers and rousing applause.
Boesak, who was immediately given the podium, wasted no time in attacking the ruling party and offering to campaign for Cope.
“ I am going to serve my country, if you can find a position where I can serve my country, but I cannot serve within the ranks of the ANC anymore,” he said.
“There are just too many things that leave me uncomfortable; that would make it difficult to defend that image [of the ANC] in public.”
Boesak suggested that the Zuma- led ANC would destroy the country if Cope did not challenge it.
“South Africa is not destined for destruction. We have a God-given destiny to fulfil and the time to fulfil that destiny is now.
“You are part of this moment of destiny. You are part of this tidal wave of the future, you are part of the sanctuary of hope we are offering South Africa’s people,” Boesak said.
Though promising to lock horns in the battle for votes, the leaders of both parties conceded that they had made mistakes .
Zuma said: “We might not have balanced our governance and party work well. In this context, all who led the ANC in the past 15 years should take collective responsibility for any possible weaknesses, as well as take credit for the successes.”
Lekota admitted to journalists that some of the policies of the government in which he had participated since 1994 have not worked.
Cope’s conference ended on a high note yesterday with delegates singing and dancing in celebration of the confirmation of Lekota as their presidential candidate .
Some of Cope’s delegates could not hold back tears when popular musician Zwai Bala, now a Cope member, led them in an emotional rendition of Josh Groban’s hit You Raise Me Up.
Before the start of yesterday’s proceedings, Cope delegates marched around the university campus, chanting slogans ridiculing Zuma.
They chanted “i-Cope ayina shower!” [Cope has no shower] in reference to Zuma’s controversial statements during his rape trial. Zuma was acquitted of the charges.
After the conference, Cope members packed Bloemfontein’s cricket stadium, which has a capacity of about 10000.
At the MK rally, ANC Youth League president Julius Malema urged the war veterans to heed Zuma’s call to defend the party.
He promised that the veterans would be included in the party’s list of nominees for seats in parliament.
“They [the veterans] will defend Zuma, the legacy of the late Chris Hani.
“We are proud of you — as poor as you are — and will put you in the ANC national list to parliament,” Malema said.
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