The African National Congress is one of the most formidable vote gathering machines in democratic Africa and it seemed the elections in 2009 were going to be no different, that was until the events at the 52nd ANC national congress in December 2007.

That congress saw the election of Jacob Zuma as the ANC President, and the development of a schism in the party largely political but also ethnic. Some ANC members worried by Zuma's more left-wing credentials broke away to form the Congress of the People (COPE), prominent amongst these were Mosiuoa Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa and Muleki George. There was also concern about increasing Zulu dominance of the ANC which further separated the two groups.

This report examines the fortunes of the ANC and COPE on the campaign trail in the Eastern Cape.