Congress of the People (COPE)

Founded: 2008.

The Congress of the People is a South African party founded in 2008 which describes itself as a social democratic party committed to constitutional democracy and to widening opportunities for the poor and marginalised. Its 2024 election manifesto is a 209-page thematic document covering the economy, energy, education, health, land, municipalities, workers and international affairs, frequently written as questions voters should put to parties. It proposes greater private participation in state-owned enterprises, market-value compensation for expropriated land, a cautious approach to the National Health Insurance, community-based policing, precedence for South Africans in employment, and a rapid move away from fossil fuels.

Official website: https://congressofthepeople.org.za/

Not yet reviewed by a human. These positions were placed by reading the sources below; each one links to the document it came from.

10 of 15 axes have a cited position. Axes without a published position are marked as such and are never scored.

Positions

Economy: state or market — +0.75

State-led: the state owns or directs key industries, sets prices and plans investment.Market-led: private ownership, deregulation, lower taxes and a smaller state.

Leaning towards: market-led: private ownership, deregulation, lower taxes and a smaller state.

Increasing private participation in every state-owned enterprise is necessary to inject innovation, new ideas, and new capital.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Economic Transformation and Growth (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Land reform and expropriation — +1.00

Expropriation without compensation and state custodianship of land.Strong property rights; redistribution only through willing-buyer/willing-seller and the courts.

Leaning towards: strong property rights; redistribution only through willing-buyer/willing-seller and the courts.

Provision must be made to award just compensation to current landowners during expropriation. While the compensation has to be fair and based on market value, it must also consider historical injustices perpetrated against the original owners of the land in question.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Land Issues (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

BEE and race-based redress — -0.50

Race-based redress expanded: BEE, employment equity and ownership targets enforced.Race-based redress phased out or replaced by non-racial, class-based or need-based measures.

Between the two poles

The promotion of black property ownership is of utmost importance. The government must ensure that ‘dead’ capital in residential stock is vitalised.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Township Transformation (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Labour market — -0.50

Strong worker protection: higher minimum wages, collective bargaining, limits on labour broking and dismissal.Flexible labour market: easier hiring and dismissal, fewer statutory protections, incentives for employers.

Between the two poles

Job security must be a priority, and all workers must be helped to understand how they can help to ensure their job security.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Workers (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Healthcare and NHI — +1.00

Universal public health care: a publicly funded and publicly provided National Health Insurance with a smaller private sector.Private provision: medical schemes and market competition carry most of the system, with a smaller public role.

Leaning towards: private provision: medical schemes and market competition carry most of the system, with a smaller public role.

The question of NHI should be deeply considered before it is pursued and health care for everyone destroyed.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Health (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Education — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Crime and policing — +1.00

Enforcement-first: more police and soldiers on the streets, harsher sentences, fewer procedural limits on the state.Prevention-first: community policing, restorative justice, and civil-liberties safeguards.

Leaning towards: prevention-first: community policing, restorative justice, and civil-liberties safeguards.

Policing is the second part of the solution. The first part must address the social and economic conditions underlying criminality in given locations.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Policing and Prosecution (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Immigration — -1.00

Restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.Open: freer movement, rights for migrants, and regional integration.

Leaning towards: restrictive: tighter borders, limits on foreign nationals, deportation of undocumented migrants.

Strict regulations must apply regarding the employment of foreign nationals in South Africa. Where all requirements are equally met, the South African job seeker must have precedence over a foreign national.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Workers (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Energy and climate — -1.00

Rapid decarbonisation: coal phase-out, renewable generation and climate commitments prioritised.Energy security first: continued coal, gas or nuclear generation and a slower transition.

Leaning towards: rapid decarbonisation: coal phase-out, renewable generation and climate commitments prioritised.

The climate crisis is real; it is here, and it is very destructive. South Africa has to begin abandoning fossil fuels at its own pace.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Electricity & Energy (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Federalism and devolution — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Traditional leadership — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Social values — +0.50

Conservative: law reflects religious or traditional morality, with narrower reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.Liberal: secular law, with expanded gender, reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.

Between the two poles

It must ensure the creation of a safer and more peaceful South Africa for women, girls, and gender non-conforming persons.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Women (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Foreign policy — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.

Anti-corruption and governance — -1.50

Expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.Smaller state machinery: fewer new bodies and regulations, with corruption handled through existing criminal law and the courts.

Expanded oversight: independent anti-corruption bodies with stronger investigative powers, asset forfeiture and procurement transparency.

The appointment of a special prosecutor could be left to either the Chief Justice or Parliament. This mechanism would ensure that decisions to appoint a special prosecutor are made independently, reducing the potential for interference.

COPE Election Manifesto 2024 , Kleptocracy (manifesto; accessed 2026-10-18)

Local service delivery — No published position found

No published position found. This axis does not count towards the match.