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Cope leaders lash out at Zuma

2008-11-22 16:15

Johannesburg - The ANC on Saturday said it was dismayed and deeply concerned about allegedly "inflammatory and defamatory" remarks made by Congress of the People (Cope).

Cope youth leader Anele Mda at a Mthatha meeting on Friday called African National Congress president Jacob Zuma "a rapist" and said that if the ANC was re-elected into government under "President Zuma", "rape would no longer be a criminal offence".

In the same meeting, another Cope leader Willie Madisha reportedly called Zuma "SA's Stalin".

He said when "President Zuma" visited the United Nations, people would say "here comes the rapist".

ANC spokesperson Carl Niehaus said on Saturday: "This is nothing else, but hate speech of the worst kind. It is also totally devoid of any respect for the law, and it's most basic principle that every person has the right to a fair trial."

Niehaus labelled the rape statements as outrageous because Zuma was found not guilty of rape.

Zuma was acquitted on a charge of raping a 31-year-old HIV positive woman by the Johannesburg High Court in May 2006.

Niehaus said the remarks further intensified the persecution of Zuma through abuse of the law for political expediency.

"This is totally unacceptable and very serious for the independence of the judiciary.

"We appeal to those who wax lyrical about respect for the Constitution and the rule of law to practice what they preach and to cease making statements that undermine these important principles."

Cope was established by former defence minister and ANC chairman Terror Lekota, his former deputy Mluleki George and former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa. This was after they accused the ruling new leadership of deviating from the Freedom Charter.

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It is fine for a guy like Julius to threat with war, Zuma to tell COPE they are like Jesus's donkey but when another party make statements then the ANC wants to throw a tantrum. The ANC may say what they want to say, they may shoot drivers tyres out, they may speed and they may break the law. Heck no wonder they called "The Next Stalin". But again these ANC guys are no brainers, academic for that matter, so mentioning this won't penetrate those thick skulls of them.

HAHA Well done Cope.. Brilliant and well done for saying what the PEOPLE think. If Malema can through dirt and call people names... then You should be allowed as well. Anc is first to be critical of people.... but can't handle being critised.....

I don't think the ANC can COPE with other parties critising them. Must be funny being on the receiving end for once!! Maybe the ANC must sue COPE again seeing that this is what they are doing all the time. Maybe Malema must teach COPE how to say bad things and get away with it.

Now that the ANC is on the receiving side they start to complain. Yawn. Nothing new was said that is not in the mind of the voters anyway! It is like name changes. But every one is still using the old name. ANC is getting what they deserve. Gone with the fat cats that only look after a selected few. We want a party that will look after all the people and services in the country. We do not want ghost towns in ten years. Even Vote DA but NOT ANC. Da did a lot for our people in the Cape.

Now that the A.N.C."All New Confusion" is getting it's own medicine back,it is not sweet. I do not condone this type of conduct, but it tickles me rosy to see that the anc is actually complaining and obviously will ask Shikotage to control their people. Please Shikotage suporters don't stoop down to that level, so far only the anc is worthy of such sweet flinging. Shhh, carry on I love it!!!

COPE is doing exactly what they are against, deviating away from the FREEDOM CHARTER. I am not a JZ supporter but to call him a rapist is really against the rule of law. To be found to not have raped means that no one can use the word rape and JZ in the same sentence. I want to join COPE but the use of such statements will make me loose interest in joining. Stick to policies and opinions that are fact based instead of baseless statements only make you look like an extra edition to the ANC.

So the ANC can dish it out but when people speak agaisnt them they cry foul. Babies. It's Zuma's own fault, he has been shown to dodge the court. And while I stand behind the court decicion, something the ANC only does when it goes in their favour, Zume getting off on the rape charge is the safe as OJ getting off on the murder charge....

Who are deviating from the Freedom Charter now? Calling a person who was acquitted of the charge names? What happened to respecting the decisions of the judiciary system? How about one of their leaders [the SHI in SHIKOTA]who had to be dragged to court to pay child maintenance? When you point fingers at someone, please bear in mind that not less than three fingers are pointing at you! It's blatant defamation of Zuma's character and he'd be very nice not to empty their BEE pockets with a lawsuit!

If only the ANC was as good at taking as it is at dishing out. They are crying because they are being called names by COPE. Yet they see nothing wrong with their prez Zuma calling the COPE members snakes...? How is that any different?

I beg Madisha and Mda not to chase away potential Cope members like myself by mindless statements like above. What they don't realise is that what they say makes them no different from stupidity they see on others.

I am a youth in South Africa and I cannot believe that Adult politicians carry on like this. We need a very mature government and the only party I can see at the moment who are mature and are concentrating on the future for all South Africans is Ms Zilla. It would be wonderful to have Ms Zilla as our State President as she speaks the truth and cares for all South Africans and our future.

I am really dissapointed that the COPE leaders have lowered themselves to this level. Remember if you fight with a pig you are bound to get dirty. Dont fall into the trap, the more Mr Kanga lambets your party the more popular and the more people listern to you. Remember when the ID started many said Patricia will go running back to the PAC she would never survive, she was ridiculed and a alot of harsh words where said and and look at her now. .... Turn their other cheeck

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