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The ANC will use the National Assembly's discussion on Cope's motion on Thursday as an opportunity to table a counter motion, which will ensure that Parliament expresses its full confidence in the capable leadership of President Jacob Zuma.
We have no doubt whatsoever that the President has, in line with his responsibilities outlined in Chapter 5 of the Constitution, executed effectively his responsibilities as head of state. This was even confirmed by various independent rating agencies since he took office in May last year, which show the people's support in the leadership of President Zuma.
It is really regrettable, if not embarrassing, that the only time that Cope get to be reported in the media in relation to its presence in Parliament is when they disrupt the formal proceedings of the National Assembly through publicity seeking charades. The party's conspicuous absence on serious matters of national importance since coming to Parliament has in the past even put its MPs, particularly its leaders, in a serious trouble with its rank and file members, including members of its Youth Desk.
After more than ten months in Parliament, the party still has nothing to show to the electorate for its presence in this institution, besides cheap stunts to grab media attention. Because it has neither a policy nor a strategic programme of action to guide its activities in this Parliament and elsewhere, the party has turned itself into the DA's ‘Ja-Baas political partner' on every important issue.
It is a slap in the face of the little percentage of the electorate that put Cope into this institution that the party today finds itself unable to stand on its own - preferring to ride on the wave of the DA's public profile every time an important matter irises.
The only instances that its constituency get to hear about its presence in Parliament is when they disrupt Parliamentary proceedings by staging a walk-out, probably on the advise of the DA, or when they embarked on ill-advised charade of contesting the President when he was elected by Parliament after the elections in 2009.
We had thought that was enough, but the Party has elected once again to undermine its existence in this institution and let down the constituency its claims to represent by a motion that only serves to divert Parliament from important issues affecting the nation.
The motion by Cope is motivated more by an institutionalized hatred for the President of the Republic than for their love for the country.
It is indeed an agonizing irony that the party, whose senior leaders have failed to lead by example on the same matter they are wagging a finger against the President on, should be the one to propose this particular motion.
We wish to appeal to COPE to start taking its role in Parliament seriously and begin engaging substantively and qualitatively on issues of national importance, rather than treating this august House like a circus show.
Issued by:
The Office of the ANC Chief Whip