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'Please give us a chance. We are incorruptible.' - COPE's Bloem answers your questions

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(Gallo)
(Gallo)

Tweet him: Send your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #BloemOnNews24 and tag @News24.

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Send a mail to feedback@news24.com with the subject line 'Questions for COPE

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02 May 2019

That's a wrap from COPE! Thank you for all of your questions. Tomorrow at 11:00 we have UDM Deputy President and Chief Whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa in the hot seat. Send your questions to feedback@news24.com with the subject 'Questions for UDM' or tweet us using the hashtag #KwankwaOnNews24 

02 May 2019

Bloem's final word: I will say to the people of SA, please give us a chance. We are incorruptible. We are not going to allow our country to go down the drain, like we can see now. We can promise one thing, c a clean government. We cannot allow our president to doing a thing and close out eyes. Give us a chance. You have voted for the ANC, the DA and the EFF. Give us a chance. If after give years we don't, fire us!

02 May 2019

02 May 2019

How does COPE intend to deal with the large unemployment numbers amongst the youth? - Vusumuzi Gift Mathonsi

Bloem: Cope will not promise jobs like all the other parties, will empower people through skills. When you give people skills they can create jobs for other people. You must be a person who is going to create jobs. That is what we believe will be the solution.

02 May 2019

I would like to know if you feel whether the current voting system is fair to all citizens in South Africa, specifically the majority model? Is it really fair to all citizens of South Africa that if a party receives 51% of votes that the 49% remaining must just fall in line with what this party decides? - Renier le grange

Bloem: The system must change. It was a interim arrangement at Codesa. MPs aren't accountable. Even the president isn't accountable. It must change.

02 May 2019

Question: Will you take part in a coalition government?

Bloem: A coalition will keep things in check...the only way to get rid of state capture. We must have credible, reliable and incorruptible people to run this country. If not, we are going to get more and more problems, I can predict that. Magashule is gunning for Ramaphosa....they are going to kick out Ramaphosa. We are going to have serious problems.

02 May 2019

Arya Stark: How do we stop corruption?

Bloem: On the 8th of May the people of this country have the opportunity to vote out a corrupt government which has give us a state capture commission. People must show they want them out. Billions of rands have left the country. In Dubai. I am from Kliptown...it is painful to see...people ask me, Mr. Bloem, why must I vote? On the 8th of May people have the opportunity to vote them out. 

02 May 2019

Question: Where is Cope? We don't see Cope in the election?

Bloem: Elections are expensive, it is not pap and vleis. Where do these parties get their money from? From dodgy characters? We don't bus in people. When Ramaphosa moves, they bus in people. When Maimane goes door to door, they bus people in...when Malema, the same. We don't do that.

02 May 2019

Question: When you refer to sell-outs, who are you referring to?

Bloem: The homeland leaders. But Mandela said bring them in. Holomisa was a homeland leader. I'm not saying he was a sell-out, he was progressive. I am saying the homelands were not run and governed by white people. They were black people. 

02 May 2019

Question: Why do you work with AfriForum?

Bloem: The Afrikaners are much more than only AfriForum, they are many more. Look at Bram Fischer...look at David Webster....he was white. There are many people who have worked to free this country, why must we chase them away? There were black sell-outs who worked with the apartheid government? Why aren't people talking about them?

02 May 2019

Question: What was Cope's biggest victories in parliament over the last five years? What is Cope's biggest achievement? Was it able to change legislation, did it expose corruption...what were Cope's biggest wins?

Bloem: This thing of 'bring back the money'...Lekota was asking Zuma where the money was. You see, this thing about Nkandla...we have refused to be part of an ad hoc committee to go and inspect Nkandla. We have said, no, it is against the law to have a amsall ad hoc committee, and we refused. What did the Constitutional Court say? Parliament did not do its work properly. Parliament erred, by that small committee. We are very proud, three members of Cope, doing these things. We are never shy. Lekota was brave enough to oppose the land issue. He stood for principle. With the land issue, he was unpopular. The ANC, EFF have promised people land, where it is? We haven't done that. You are playing with the lives of people. 

02 May 2019

What happened between the leader, Lekota, and Mbhazima Shilowa? Was Shilowa an agent?

Bloem: The fight was about the management of Cope finances...we had a forensic investigation. Shilowa was chief whip...the auditors said there was mismangement....Shilowa was chief whip. Hilda Ndude was found guilty, that was why Shilowa left. 

02 May 2019

What happened to Cope after 2009 when the party had more than 30 MPs?

Bloem: I must apologise who voted for us in 2009. I know we have disappointed them evry much. People must understand what was the motive and the reason. You see in 2009 Cope were the first after the new democratic government to challenge the ANC. The ANC was very much worried about us. They planned, they had a war room, where they planned to infiltrate and destabilise Cope. Julius Malema was part of it. Cope was not fighting among themselves, no. Like black on black violence where there was a third force. We were infiltrated by agents. Many went back, like Leonard Ramatlakane and Smuts Ngonyama...The ANC offered people positions. I'm happy to explain why this thing happened...Malema said he was part of the committee.

02 May 2019

Do you believe the state was captured during Zuma's term? - @vammymbangwa, Instagram

Bloem: There's no question about it. At the ANC's Polokwane conference in 2007 we warned people that if Zuma was goin to be elected the country will go into a dark hole. We warned them. In 2007. Look where the country is today. Everything we warned about happened. The country was in the hands of the Guptas. Everyone knows it. There is evidence in front of the commission of inquiry. Mcebisi Jonas said it publicly at the commission, they told him they are in control of everything...they can make him...when he asked them, how? they said don't worry, we are in control. 

02 May 2019

Hi Dennis. What is your predicted percentage of the poll? - @docmarkmanley, Instagram

Bloem: We are going flat out in the election. I am not a sangoma, but we we will try our very best to get as many votes as we can.

02 May 2019

Bloem: Since the debate started we said we respect the Constitution. That Constitution says you must not take land if that person is not going to be paid. That is what we stand for. We make no bones about it. We respect the Constitution. It was drafted by the citizens, not the ANC or the PAC, but by South Africans. We must work together. We must not fall into a trap. Nelson Mandela, and all our forefathers, were very very clever, and brilliant. They said, to keep the country intact, and together...let us involve all the citizens in this country. We must never drive the country to a bloodbath.

02 May 2019

Bloem: You see, in 1955, at the Congress of the People. everyone took part in drafting the document. The country belongs to everyone. When Nelson Mandela was released he went to Betsie Verwoerd, he reached out to the right-wing, to everybody. We are following in his footsteps. We are not going to discriminate and push people aside. Mosioua Lekota talks to AfriForum. Mandela had tea with the architect of apartheid. If people want to criticise Lekota, why did they not ask about Mandela having tea with Verwoerd?

02 May 2019

Bloem: We have said yes, all three. We will do away with it.
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