Lehlile ikhethini kuCope kaLekota
Ukukhishwa kwemiphumela esemthethweni yokhetho lukazwelonke nolwezifundazwe kufane nokwehlisa ikhethini eqenjini iCongress of the People (Cope) okube ukuphela kokumeleleka kwalo ePhalamende nasezishayamthetho. Leli qembu liye okhethweni limagange ngokwandisa ukumeleleka kwalo kuzwelonke nasezifundazweni.
Umholi weCope uMnu uMosiuoa Lekota phambilini wathi baya kulolu khetho bebheke ukuthola izihlalo ezinhlanu ePhalamende likazwelonke, baphinde babuyise nokwethenjwa kweqembu ezifundazweni njangase-Eastern Cape, eLimpopo, eFree State naseNorth West lapho lalinamandla khona. Ukuhlehlelwa yizikhuni kweCope okwenze yahluleka ukuthola amavoti enele ukuba ibe nesihlalo ePhalamende akuyona indlela emnandi yokuvalelisa uLekota osethatha umhlalaphansi kwezepolitiki. Ngasekuqaleni kukaNhlaba uLekota umemezele ukuthi uzothatha umhlalaphansi kwezepolitiki ngenxa yesimo sempilo neminyaka yakhe. Izinkomba zokuthi iCope izothwala kanzima kulolu khetho ziqale ukuvela lapho kusabalwe ingxenye engama-5% yamavoti kazwelonke.
Ubuholi baleli qembu bebude buthi kuseva izibalo zisazoguquka osekungumlando ukuthi igcine ikhale ngaphansi. Phezu kokukhala ngaphansi uLekota uthe angeke alenza iphutha lokubuyela ku-ANC. “Angiboni ukuthi ukubuyela ku-ANC kungaba umqondo ophusile. Izingwevu eziningi ze-ANC nalabo esasiyibambe nabo kuKhongolose bakholwa ukuthi leli qembu seligudlukile endleleni”. ULekota uthi ngaphambi kokhetho ube nethuba lokuxoxisana nabaholi abehlukene bangaphambilini be-ANC abavumile ukuthi leli qembu seliyanhlanhlatha, futhi bayazisola ngokuthi abazange bameseke (uLekota) ngesikhathi esungula iCongress of the People. Kukhona abathi uLekota usekhulunyiswa ukubona ukuthi iCope isifike ekugcineni. Naye uyavuma ukuthi akekho angamsola ngokufadalala kwaleli qembu, kodwa izinkinga ziqale ngaphakathi ngombango wokuhola phakathi kwakhe, uMnu uMbhazima Shilowa nomufi uMnu uMluleki George.
Okhethweni langowezi-2009 iCope yakwazi ukuthi amaphesenti ali-7 emuva kwezinyanga ezi-4 isunguliwe okwenza yaba yiqembu lesithathu kwamakhulu emuva kweDemocratic Alliance. Ngokhetho lowezi-2014 ukwesekwa kweCope kwehla kakhulu, yathola amavoti ali-1%. Kulokhu leli qembu belingaphansi kwenkulu ingcindezi kulanela ukuzalwa kwamaqembu anjengeRise Mzansi, iBosa eholwa nguMnu uMmusi Maimane acoboshise kakhulu kuyona.