EMBATTLED former Cope deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa and his family could soon find themselves out in the cold following the Johannesburg high court's decision to attach the contents of his house

According to court papers Shilowa owes Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota R72,000 in legal fees, and the contents of his Constantia Kloof house in Roodepoort will be auctioned off to recover the money.

Lekota's spokesperson, Phillip Dexter, said yesterday that Shilowa owed the money because he lost his case against Lekota and didn't pay.

"We followed proper court processes and his house is being attached," Dexter said.

"We want the money and nothing else. He must pay or his family will be thrown out of the house and it will go under the hammer."

The money owed by Shilowa relate to Cope's legal battles, which resulted from the party's controversial and chaotic policy conference in May last year.

The two leaders took the party on a roller-coaster ride of legal battles following Shilowa's attempts to force that policy conference into an elective conference.

After the conference Lekota asked the court to force the party to defer elections for four months to sort out branch memberships.

The high court in Johannesburg granted the order, which the Shilowa faction appealed and lost, incurring legal costs in the process.

But Shilowa's spokesperson Sipho Ngwema poured scorn on the idea that his boss could soon be homeless, saying Shilowa was not aware of the decision to auction his house as he had never received a letter of demand.

"He has never received papers in that regard. Who served him with papers? He is not aware of the demand," Ngwema said.

"His address has not changed. They must bring proof that they served him with the papers and that he is aware of them."

Dexter said Shilowa will have to pay more in legal fees after losing other cases against Lekota.