VZCZCXRO4515
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSA #1409 1911600
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101600Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9034
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 1407
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 6988
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY 1101
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG PRIORITY 9355
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001409 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV SF
SUBJECT: CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE SHAKEN BY LEADERSHIP RIFT 
 
REF: A. 08 PRETORIA 2650 
     ¶B. CAPE TOWN 0033 
     ¶C. PRETORIA 543 
     ¶D. PRETORIA 544 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) The Congress of the People (COPE), South Africa's 
newest parliamentary opposition party, was hit by two 
high-level resignations this week.  Second Deputy President 
Lynda Odendaal and Head of Elections Simon Grindrod handed in 
their resignations to the national leadership.  Both Odendaal 
and Grinrod cited tension and confusion within the party as 
the reason for their resignations.  COPE President Mosiuoa 
Lekota, Deputy President Mbahazima Shilowa and Parliamentary 
Leader Mvume Dandala all denied that there is a leadership 
rift within COPE.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Grindrod Blasts COPE's "ANC Mentality" 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Simon Grindrod, a former Deputy Leader of the 
Independent Democrats (ID), was given the position of Head of 
Elections shortly after he left the ID and joined COPE. 
Grindrod complained to the press this week about the 
undemocratic culture among COPE leadership.  Grindrod implied 
that during the election campaign, COPE leadership confused 
voters by making frequent references to former President 
Thabo Mbeki while Mbeki himself remained loyal to the African 
National Congress (ANC). In resigning, Grindrod cited the 
leadership struggle between President Mosiuoa Lekota and 
Deputy President Mbhazima Shilowa as the main source of 
hostility within the party.  Grindrod also said that lack of 
discussion on appointments caused tension among COPE 
loyalists.  In the case of Western Cape, Gindrod said Allan 
Boesak was appointed as the candidate for Western Cape 
Premier without any discussion within the COPE leadership 
committee.  What was even worse, according to Grindrod, was 
that COPE leadership consulted extensively with the ANC, 
rather than within its ranks, on its election plan for 
Western Cape.  Grindrod also charged that the former ANC 
members within COPE make the final decisions within COPE and 
exclude non-ANC veterans. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Odendaal Exit Amplifies Leadership Tremors 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Former IT executive Lynda Odendaal's appointment as 
second Deputy President of COPE surprised many people at the 
time because Odendaal had no previous political experience. 
Analysts saw her as a token white female, more of a symbol of 
the multi-racial, gender-neutral image the party wanted to 
project than as a policy presence.  Commentators see 
Odendaal's resignation this week as a shock to the party and 
a blow to its image.  In discussing her resignation, Odendaal 
expressed concerns that dovetail with Grindrod's comments 
regarding the confusion  surrounding leadership.  In a local 
radio interview, Odendaal linked Deputy President Mbahzima 
Shilowa to a dissident group within COPE allegedly attempting 
to oust Lekota. 
 
--------------------------- 
COPE Moves to Limit Damage 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Both Lekota and Shilowa addressed a press conference 
on July 9.  They claimed there are no leadership struggles 
within the party.  COPE parliamentary leader Mvume Dandala 
also rejected reports of a party rift as "false rumors." 
COPE Spokesman Philip Dexter dismissed Grindrod's comments as 
"a lot of smoke" and added that Grindrod should have raised 
Q"a lot of smoke" and added that Grindrod should have raised 
his concerns within the party before going to the press.  It 
remains unclear who will replace Odendaal as second deputy 
president, but Leonard Ramatlakane is expected to take over 
Odendaal's seat in Parliament. 
CONNERS