The exodus of members from the ANC to the COPE (Congress of People) continued today with a big name move. Struggle stalwart Lulama “Smuts” Ngonyama has left the ANC today after 30 years of service to the party and has joined the newly formed COPE headed by Terror Lekota. Smuts was the former spokesperson of the ANC. He said he could no longer recognise the liberation movement to which he belonged. “This is not the ANC I knew,” he said.
Ngonyama intends to become a member of COPE when the party is launched on December 16, but says it is too early to say whether he will play an active role in it. “I will have to weigh up all my responsibilities before we can begin to discuss that,” he said.
The ANC has come out in the last couple of days and said that they do not care if members leave their party and join COPE as they feel any defactors can easily be replaced. But when you start getting ‘big names’ such as Ngonyama leaving your ranks, surely you have to start getting worried? The likes of Smuts are the people who have been around for a very long time and played keys roles in getting the ANC to where it is today. When such people now come out and say they can not “tolerate or embrace” the recent disrespect of authority in the party, you have to get worried as the ANC.
It will be interesting to see who else leaves the ANC to join COPE in the days and weeks to come. Watch this space.
It is very and iteresting and also serve as a indication that many key comrades are going to followsuit. To a leader of Smuts’s calibre to have joined the COPE is a boost to the real down fall of the ANC. It is clear that those who are remaining, majority of them are defending the positions they have been promised, government and political. I wonder what is going to happen towards the election, i suspect they are going to be emortional during the campaigns because they will be regarding some of us as the stumbling block to their benefits. Police must be ready to do their work wioth high efforts. Thanx comrade Ngonyama you are a father who is ready to encourage respect to your children and as young people in COPE we are ready to learn from you. Viva COPE Viva.
Didn’t surprise me news of Smuts’ jumping ANC ship,every1 with an iota of a brain knows Smuts is a die- hard Mbeki loyalist. So why he held out so long beats me, but may be remained thinking he would be allowed in2 ANC’s sensetive decision-making processes and was dissappointed.