What Soweto teaches us

I was humbled to be in one of South Africa's proudest and greatest communities in June. A community that has raised, lost and buried great South Africans. A Community that has made a proud contribution to a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it!

Because of the people and potential of such communities COPE says: Let's go back to basics! Let's go back to our communities! Let's go back to our roots, to our values and to our principles. But above all, let's go back to our people!

South African Police Tango: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

On the 1st of April 2010 it was gazetted that the South African Police Service will be returning to the pre-democracy or apartheid era ranks. With the transformation of the police from a service to a para-military force, the work performed by various freedom fighters is rendered null and void.

In 1995 the police became a civilian police force when it demilitarised. While some ranks like that of Inspector and Superintendent became the ridicule of the police, it’s also said that this cause a loss of respect from Joe public.

In January, while responding to parliamentary questioning, the police ministry indicated that it cost the secretariat R50 000.00 to change its name from “Secretariat for Safety and Security” to “Secretariat of Police”. Whilst the same refused or could not indicate the costs involved in changing the name from “South African Police Service” to “South African Police Force”. Neither is there any information available on the cost of implementing the new ranks.

Vuka Sizwe! Vuka Mzansi! Wake up South Africa!

The Congress of the People was founded almost a decade and a half after the demise of the apartheid government, and in particular noting that we are still experiencing a young democracy in which not all are enjoying its fruits.

Young fruits of our democracy are being raped by autocratic individuals who call themselves leaders of South Africa, having an ill tendency of cloaking the worst elements of capitalism with socialist rhetoric, making one wonder whether this is a conscious strategy to do in the very people who supported the anti-liberation movements and gave their all for the total emancipation of our people.

It is high time that we all claim what belongs to every citizen of South Africa: our hard-won freedom, freedom of choice, freedom of expression and association, conscience and political affiliation, basic education, decent jobs and equitable distribution and ownership of land, among others.

Young South Africans we cannot be fooled  forever, and the future lies in our hands, yet we allow the doors of opportunity to be slammed shut in our faces while they are made wide open for a select few and well-connected individuals!

Let us rise to claim our future, to claim what rightfully belongs to us, and rise to claim a better future for ourselves and future generations to come! Vuka Sizwe! Vuka Mzansi!

Written by Tshenolo Khumalo, a "concerned Young African and a member of the Congress of the People in good standing" in Kimberley, Northern Cape.

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by the author do not necessary reflect the official views and position of COPE.
www.cope.za.org

A Lost Generation

Having given birth to my son in July 2008 I was shocked and pained to read about “20 babies dumped during the month of August” in September 2008.

This has become a major concern for me, with questions haunting me, asking “why would a mother throw away a child after giving birth to it?”, “did she not feel the labour pains that I felt?”; “how did she expect the baby to survive?”; “why?”; “What are young people saying about this?”; “what is the government doing about it”;” what is society doing about it?” I could not get the answers I needed and started thinking about how I struggled to have a child and how many people would love to give a child a loving and beautiful home but are unable to.

One Member, One Vote

The Congress of the People is a progressive movement with the founding principle to review thenational electoral system to enable constituency based voting and direct election of the President, Premiers and Mayors by the citizens of the Republic.

Themba Mbatha, in his policy proposal for internal democracy in COPE, illustrates how the officebearers of the Congress of the People must be directly elected by the general membership through a One Member, One Vote.

Sabela uyabizwa! Respond when called

Sabela uyabizwa, ("respond when called") is used when you’re called for important matters, go on errands or when raised to a podium as a hero. It is a call for heroes and heroines to stand up for a mission that not all can be called.

You are called by name, an identity not familiar to others next to you. You are called for a destiny beyond your thoughts and imaginations. Sabela Uyabizwa, you have to stand up for a nation has placed a yoke on your shoulders, you’re the trusted one.