Citizens of the country should be able to elect their president directly, the Congress of the People (Cope) said on Thursday.

"People must elect their president and not depend on a party to choose who is fit to run the country," said Strini Pillay, zonal election co-ordinator, at a public meeting in Jeppestown, Johannesburg.

He said the current system in South Africa denied people to exercise a right to elect the president who is accountable to them.

"The state president and mayors must be directly elected by the people, so that when they (people) are not happy about him, they can recall him after following all processes."

Under the current system people could not recall the president, and only the ruling party could do so.

"If they do not want to recall the president, you do not have a say and your are stuck with people you do not want.. .if they want to recall the president they can do so regardless of your objection," he said.

Pillay told a crowd of twenty people who braved the rain to attend that should Cope be in government it would implement an anti-poverty strategy within six months to help the poor, and invest more money in education and health.

John Pule from Bertrams said he wanted to hear what Cope promised, before he could signed up for membership.

"Many things are not being done correctly... you have a belief that all are equal before the law, but someone who threw people into a lion's den walks out of prison leaving his accomplice behind.. .you call that justice," he asked.

Early regional convenor Jabu Tammi told the meeting that Cope was formed after people saw the need for a party that could stand up and defend the constitution.

"The constitution is under threat..." he said.

People at the meeting wanted to know whether Cope would consider bringing back the death penalty.

In response Pillay said that in terms of the constitution the death penalty was illegal and for it to be reinstated it must be in the interests of the people, and that meant the constitution must be changed.

Despite the small number of people at the meeting, five police cars were parked outside, and police officers were standing at strategic points ready to thwart any disturbance to the meeting.

The next Cope meeting was scheduled for February 14, where it is expected that more people will attend.