Johannesburg - The Congress of the People (Cope) said it was ready to present a worthy candidate to become the mayor of the City of Tshwane.
The party in Gauteng has had a number of embarrassing scenarios concerning its mayoral candidates. First, their newly elected mayor, Murunwa Makwarela, was found wanting when it was discovered that he had faked an insolvency certificate that led to his resignation as mayor of the City of Tshwane.
The second embarrassment the party suffered was when it was discovered that the second candidate, Justice Sefanyetso, had lied about having a criminal record and that he had tried to defraud the IEC vetting process by giving the wrong ID number.
Now, Cope is presenting Ofentse Moalusi, an academically decorated candidate with a BCom in Accounting degree. Moalusi is also a theology student and a philanthropist.
In a statement, Cope Gauteng said it had faith in Moalusi and had vetted him before presenting him to the public as a preferred candidate.
"Cope Gauteng Province has engaged its internal processes to evaluate potential candidates who raised their hands to answer the call of patriotic duty by serving as a Cope PR candidate in the City of Tshwane metro. We are excited that our processes have been able to root out undesirable and unfit candidates, and we can now proudly pronounce that we have a well-rounded, competent, and qualified candidate who can serve the citizens of Tshwane with honour, dignity, and we are confident of the candidate’s capabilities and performance," the party said.
The party said after a few setbacks that it had gone to great lengths to ensure that all the candidates who had raised their hands for the position of mayor were fit for purpose. All vetting processes had to be followed.
The party said it was embarrassed by the actions of Makwarela and Sefanyetso and their underhanded ways to ascend to power.
"Naturally, we are very disappointed with our former candidates Dr Makwarela and Mr Justice Sefanyetso who have disgraced the party and what we stand for," the party said.
Cope in Gauteng said it understood the opportunities that have been afforded to minority parties in Gauteng through the offering of top positions for the minorities in coalitions.
"As part of the minority community in Tshwane metro, we understand the gravity of the opportunities that have befallen the minority; this is our moment. Let us not waste it. We will not squander these opportunities by accepting lesser competent candidates that cannot perform. Our patriotic duty to this metro and to our country will not allow us to drop the ball again. As a party, we have bounced back harder, higher, and are getting stronger and better at governing," the party said.
The Star