Dennis Victor Bloem is a politician who served as the national spokesperson of the Congress of the People (COPE).
Dennis Bloem (born 4 August 1952) is a renowned politician from South Africa. He is best known for serving as the national spokesperson for COPE. He has served in many positions through the political party.
Some of his offices include representing COPE in the National Council of Provinces from 2009 to 2014. Before he participated in COPE, Bloem represented the ANC in the Parliament in 1994.
After leaving the Parliament in 2009, Dennis joined COPE after leaving the ANC to prepare for the general elections. He is a former Democratic Front activist in the Free State.
| Dennis Bloem | |
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| Short Profile | |
| Full name: | Dennis Victor Bloem |
| Born: | 4 August 1952 (age 71 years old) |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Education: | Brent Park, Kroonstad |
| Occupation: | Politician |
| Political Party: | Congress of the People (COPE) |
| Spouse: | Minah Sindane-Bloem |
| Children: | 5 |
Early Life
Dennis Bloem was born on 4 August 1952. He grew up in Brentpark in Kroonstad, a colored neighborhood. He later became an organizer for the ANC-aligned United Democratic Front in the Orange Free State. Bloem worked as a painter at his father’s painting company in 1969.
Participating in activism led to the arrest of him and three other individuals in 1992. The authorities suspected them to have a hand in the murder of George “Diwiti” Ramasimong. Diwiti was the leader of Kroonstad’s anti-UDF Three Million Gang. He completed school at Brent Park, Kroonstad, Free State.
Career
Dennis worked at Union Steam Bakery in Kroonstad from 1969 to 1979.
Bloem won the 1994 general election to represent the ANC in the Senate. He moved to a seat in the National Assembly after the ANC reshuffled its parliamentary caucuses in 1997. He returned for another two terms in the National Assembly in 1999 and 2004.
The politician was Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services from 2004 to 2009.
The Electoral Commission published the draft party lists for the 2009 general election. Dennis appeared as a candidate for the ANC and COPE.
In a short while, Bloem announced he was leaving the African National Congress for its breakaway party COPE. He won the general election as a Delegate to the National Council of Provinces to represent COPE in the Free State.
After completing his term, Bloem contested for re-election to Parliament in the 2014 general election. He appeared as fourth on COPE’s national party list.
The elections did not favor COPE as they won three seats in the National Assembly. Dennis failed to gain a seat. He ranked 34th on the national party list and did not gain a parliamentary seat in 2019.
Dennis ranked number one on the provincial party list for Gauteng. But COPE did not win any seats in the province. He remained active in the party despite losing those seats.
Bloem got involved in a power struggle within the political party as its national spokesperson in 2022. COPE stands for Congress of the People. Former members of the ANC formed the political party in 2008.
Dennis Bloem, who served as COPE Spokesperson, resigned from the political party in 2023.
The party’s National Chairperson, Teboho Loate, said that the party terminated Dennis Bloem’s membership. He did not resign but got fired from the party during the Congress National Committee in Bloemfontein. He wanted to save his reputation, so he left.
“The purported resignation from COPE by Mr Dennis Bloem is an attempt to pre-empt the impact of his logical fate and to save face.”
Positions
- 34th Candidate at Congress of the People National Election List from April to May 2019
- 1st Candidate at Congress of the People Provincial Gauteng Election List from April to May 2019
- 3rd Candidate at Congress of the People Regional Gauteng Election List from April to May 2019
- 4th Candidate at Congress of the People National Election List from April to May 2014
- Member at Ad Hoc Committee on Protection of State Information Bill (NCOP) until May 2014
- Member of Committee On Petitions and Members’ Legislative Proposals until May 2014
- Member of Select Committee On Appropriations until May 2014
- Member of Joint Constitutional Review Committee until May 2014
- Member of Constitutional Review Committee until May 2014
- Member of Joint Standing Committee on Defence until May 2014
- Member of Joint Committee on Delegated Legislation until May 2014
- Constituency Contact at COPE Constituency Office: Free State until May 2014
- Member at Ad Hoc Committee on General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (NCOP) until May 2014
- Delegate at the National Council of Provinces from 2009 to 2014
- Member of Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (NCOP Committees) until April 2014
- Party Whip at the National Council of Provinces (Parliament) until April 2014
- Member of Select Committee on Appropriations (NCOP Committees) until April 2014
- Member of Select Committee on Petitions and Private Members Legislative Proposals (NCOP Committees) until April 2014
- Member of Select Committee on Finance (NCOP Committees) until April 2014
- Member of Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development (NCOP Committees) until April 2014
Personal Life
Dennis Bloem is married to Minah Sindane-Bloem. The couple has five children.