It is probably not particularly surprising that the dissidents who broke from the ANC to form the Congress of the People (Cope) are also rethinking the relationship between parties, government, and the state. Cope chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota argued on Sunday in Durban that South Africans should have the opportunity to vote for individuals rather than vote by party.
Whatever the merits of the argument, this strikes me as a savvy move by Lekota and Cope. The only way that the party will succeed as a legitimate challenger to the African National Congress will be if Cope can overcome the strong brand loyalty that many will continue to have for the ANC. One of the ways to loosen that grip will be to have people think in terms of voting for individuals rather than for the party because in a competition strictly between the ANC and Cope the odds are that Cope will fare badly. And given the highly personalized nature of South African politics today, such an approach just might prove effective. This is astute thinking and smart politics no matter where one stands on the South African political divide.
