COPE comes to Rhodes University, South Africa

COPE is busy launching branches of its youth and student movements. About 340 students attended the meeting in spite of the heavy rain and power outage on campus minutes before the meeting started.

Anele Mda, COPE’s youth convener, Lynda Odendaal, the second deputy president and, Smuts Ngonyama, head of policy, were ushered into the gas lamp illuminated Barratt Hall. But power was restored about 30 minutes later.

After the meeting I interviewed four students. Two said they supported COPE, one was undecided and the other one supported the ANC.

Yesterday I, Thandeka Mapi and Floyd Musekwa, my fellow prospective reporters, were ready to cover the ANC meeting which was supposed to be held at the same hall. The meeting was cancelled.