The new breakaway party, Congress of the People, announced its serious intentions to win elections in Mopani, Limpopo Province and South Africa during a media briefing session at the High Grove Lodge in Tzaneen last Friday.
Announcing its Mopani regional leadership during the event, the party’s newly elected convener, Mr Pule Maluleke, who is the regional secretary of the organisation, said that, following a number of discussions with the people of Mopani, the party was now ready to tackle issues facing the communities in the area. “It’s all system go. All structures are now in place and we are now working towards setting up our women and youth formations,” said Maluleke. He added that the party will tackle the ANC and other political parties head-on in the upcoming December (2008) bi-elections.
He further acknowledged that they are expecting that several councillors in Mopani will resign from the ANC and other political parties. “With all the support of the people of the Mopani region, we have no doubt that we will emerge from the bi-elections victoriously. There is no turning back.”
The newly elected regional leadership of the party in Mopani are Mr Terror Mokhabukhi as the chairperson, Mr Bernard Ntloana as his deputy, Mr Pule Maluleke as the secretary of the region, assisted by Ms Ivy Shivambu as his deputy and Ms Rebecca Maake is the Treasurer. 
The Congress of the People was recently established by former top members of the ANC in the country, its convener the former Premier of Gauteng, Mr Mbazima Shilowa, former Minister of Defence, Mr Mosiua Lekota and his former deputy, Mr Mluleki George.
In addressing members of the media, Mokhabukhi indicated that the Mopani residents across all races and genders have given them a mandate to defend democracy in South Africa, while also upholding the rule of law. “I am humbled and overwhelmed by the level of support the Mopani’s residents and businesses are giving to this cause. We have been told by the people of Mopani to move with speed and get our struc-tures in place.”
An optimistic Mokhabukhi stated that their membership across all races is growing at a phenomenal rate. “People have been telling us that South Africa is tired of a rhetorical kind of leadership and now needs a real change. They rightly said that people want a society in which our youth will have respect. They further insist that the rule of law should apply to all citizens, without favour,” concluded Mokhabukhi.