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The Congress of the People (Cope) will move for a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma when Parliament resumes this week, Cope deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa said on Monday.

"We derive no pleasure from dealing with this matter. Ours is not about the humiliation of the President of the Republic," he told a media briefing following a "strategic planning session" over the weekend.

The party bemoaned the effect of Zuma's behaviour on the country.

Shilowa said that the focus of the entire country was on Zuma owing to his indiscretion, when it should be on the issues ordinary South Africans faced such as unemployment, poverty and HIV/Aids. He said Cope had not yet discussed the matter with other parties.

"We hope when a second opportunity comes to deal with this matter, they will reflect better," he said. This will be the second time that Cope has called for Zuma's removal in Parliament.

Of the ANC, he said it had "lost its moral compass".

"I hope that they can go back and find their moral compass... they will find that he will do the right thing and resign." If Zuma did not resign, the party should remove him, he said.

Cope general secretary Charlotte Lobe said that South Africa had become a "laughing stock" internationally, because Zuma had "failed to heed his own government's call on the pandemic".

Referring to the HIV/Aids pandemic, she said that Zuma had not adhered to the government's programme on abstinence, being faithful and using condoms.

"His sexual advances to the children of his friends... goes to the heart of his moral bankruptcy.

"President Jacob Zuma is not fit for office. He has tarnished the image of the Republic," she said.

The party felt that his second State of the Nation address on Thursday, would "lack substance".

The revelation of Zuma's child, born out of wedlock with Sonono Khoza, the daughter of soccer boss Irvin Khoza, caused a furore weeks ahead of the opening of Parliament for the year.

After issuing a statement confirming the reports and slamming the media for its insensitivity, Zuma on Saturday apologised to South Africans.

"I deeply regret the pain that I have caused to my family, the ANC, the alliance and South Africans in general," he said.

He said he "acknowledged" and "un

derstood" the reaction of South Africans. Cope's planning session included its leadership, its youth and women's formations. It took place from February 5 to February 7 in Pretoria.

The congress national committee of Cope on Monday met its youth, which had called for the resignation of the party's top leadership.

The youth accused the leadership of failing the fledgling party, charging that it had a "dysfunctional" political and organisational structure.

Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota said the meeting with the youth was "proceeding well".

"... All of us are satisfied that at the end of it all the necessary steps will be taken to lead us to a better position," he said.

The party is to hold its policy conference in March and an elective conference before the end of May.

National organiser Mluleki George was adamant that the party would be ready to hold the all important conferences.

"This decision is not just an impromptu decision... we do have the membership that will attend that congress," he said.

Lobe said while there was growth in the party, there was an "uneven development of the structures".

Cope remained mum on its membership figures, she said it was in the process of an audit to finalise them.

Ahead of Cope's policy and elective indabas, it is set to amend its constitution.

 

 

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