It appears that the ANC is beginning to understand that the Congress of the People is not going away, its leaders and increasingly robust membership is serious, and that COPE will be a factor in the 2009 elections. The ANC believes that COPE might be able to draw about 10% of the popular vote, thus challenging seriously the ANC's 2/3 majority. But those numbers seem low, the predictions of an organization finally acknowledging that there is a graveyard, but still whistling past it.