The Economist has this article summarizing for the rest of the world what is going on with ANC and COPE. Specifically what kicked off the article was the ass-kicking handed to the ANC by COPE and DA in the Western Cape.

One of my point-form summaries:

  • 27 Western Cape seats were recently contested in the Western Cape
    • The ANC had held all of them, but lost all but 3
    • The ANC didn’t contest 12 of the seats (through incompetence) so they outright lost 12 of the 15 that they did contest
    • COPE won 10 of the seats and the DA won 9
  • The formation of COPE has much to do with “personal interests and ambitions”
    • It is observed that COPE was formed by those who were squeezed out of power when Zuma came in
    • These are the same people who thought the ANC was fine until they lost power
  • Either way, COPE should benefit South Africa by:
    1. Offering black voters more choice
    2. Weakening the hapless ANC