The Congress of the People (Cope) is swiftly gaining support ahead of the hotly contested 2009 election, with the party even declaring the social network Facebook a "region" for votes.

With just days to go before the official launch of Cope, its leader and Facebook chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota says: "It's about you, our Constitution and our country".

The Facebook group was, according to the site, started by Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa and three others.

At 10.15am on Thursday the figure stood at 6101 members and 30 minutes later it rose to 6113.

Earlier this week, the party claimed to have drawn nearly half a million members since splintering from the ANC in late October.

Cope's general secretary, Charlotte Lobe, said it managed to attract 428 000 paid-up members since it was formed a few weeks ago, and believed this figure could swell to half a million by the time of the launch.

She said support for Cope was strongest in the Eastern Cape, where it boasted 160 000 members and the ANC's election drive there was a clear sign that it was feeling the pressure from the breakaway party.

"We welcome the fact that they realise they are now in trouble in the Eastern Cape," she said.

Cope claims to have 74 000 members in the Free State and 60 000 in the Western Cape.

In an effort to garner support on Facebook, Cope provides a list of events taking place this festive season and urges guests to bring friends along.

Among the events is a Cope fundraiser set to take place on Thursday evening at 6pm at the Carfind Conference Centre in Pretoria Avenue.

On Saturday, a delegation from Cope will head to Bloemfontein for the party's conference.

At 9am that same day, there will be a mass Cope rally from 9am to 1pm and under venue, it reads "all over".

A car rally through Port Elizabeth was also on the agenda for the day.

A similar rally and joint Aids awareness campaign was set to take place on 29 December in Moroe Park, Pretoria.

On its site, Cope also speaks of its commitment to improve the social conditions "of our people".