Changes in South African politics will reverberate across the region in a
year of economic tumult
SOUTH AFRICA: Mosiuoa 'Terror' Lekota's COPE takes on Zuma and the ANC With general elections coming up and the world recession pressing down, South Africa faces a new political scene. Firstly, who will lead the governing African National Congress to the polls? Secondly, how well will the new, breakaway Congress of the People do (AC Vol 49 No 25)? COPE’s future depends on whether ANC President Jacob Zuma survives to lead the campaign for the national presidency and parliamentary dominance. COPE reckons that, with Zuma at the head of the ANC, its chance of an electoral breakthrough is good. The December meeting of the ANC’s National Executive Committee decided not to have Zuma’s face on the party’s election materials, to focus on the ‘brand’ rather than on any individual. COPE has unveiled what it calls a ‘New Progressive Agenda’ (or ‘New Way’) to reinvigorate political life. With similar ideas, ex-President Thabo Mbeki tried, and failed, to modernise the ANC.
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