South Africa needed qualified, skilled officials to run the country, said Congress of the People (Cope) founder and former national chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) Mosiuoa Lekota.

Speaking at a briefing hosted by the South African Institute of Race Relations, Lekota emphasised that the need for a dispensation of capable administrators will require a shift in mindset from the current ‘freedom fighter attitude' evident in government.

Lekota explained that liberation governments fail because they have not made the change to a governing mindset, and he contended that the glaring weaknesses in South Africa today show that the country now needed a party geared to governance. The time had come, he said, for a real administration, and not a liberation movement. "People don't eat and drink history," he said.

Lekota held that the necessary officials for a ‘real administration' would come from a different category to the original freedom fighters. Reinforcing comments that he made at a fundraising event held earlier this week, Lekota said that the South African government can not continue to appoint members to influential positions purely because of their service and suffering during the apartheid struggle.

The correct criteria for appointing government officers, Lekota explained, was to find the "best team of men and women to lead and serve the people".

This was how Cope had chosen its recently announced Presidential candidate Mvume Dandala. Lekota said that the Reverend Dandala was the "best-placed, best individual" for the task of leading the party into Parliament.

Dandala was a man of integrity, reliable and a "tremendous administrator". Lekota emphasised that the first condition for leadership that needed to be fulfilled, was integrity.

Addressing Cope's belief in the direct election of leaders, Lekota said that it was not prudent to "reward [the] loyalties of yesteryear". The ANC's cronyism explained why South Africa's infrastructure was falling apart. Most of the current government officials were not properly trained.

"South Africa must sober up," Lekota said.