Ngonyama quits Cope

662 Smuts Ngonyama, Cope's Head of Policy 290109. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

662 Smuts Ngonyama, Cope's Head of Policy 290109. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Apr 25, 2014

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Johannesburg - Cope MP Smuts Ngonyama announced his resignation from the party on Friday, citing a “negative political environment” in the party.

Following the 2009 election where the Congress of the People won over 1.3 million votes, Ngonyama said the party's vision was “counterpunched and undermined from within”, in his resignation letter released to the media.

“In light of this, many credible members who participated in the founding of Cope started serious introspection about how best they could serve the South African society,” he said.

“Despite the efforts of many members in trying to keep to the initial course of political direction, the negative political environment persisted.”

The situation was untenable, leaving Ngonyama no other option but to end his association with Cope.

Ngonyama, who left the African National Congress in 2008 before he joined Cope, said it was with regret that he was leaving the party.

“From the time Cope was established, it became a pleasure to work with most of the colleagues at national committee level, in Parliament and especially with the general membership at large,” he said.

“This environment was enhanced by the fact that whilst in office we may have had our differences, but we were bound together by the important common objectives of serving the people of South Africa.”

He thanked all those he worked with for the shared experience and the support he had received in his work.

Sapa

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