• Tweet

BEFORE THE STORM: Mluleki George, Mosiuoa 'Terror' Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa announce the official name of their newly formed party, Congress of the People, at the Pretoria Showgrounds on November 15 2008. PHOTO: Kevin Sutherland

 It is unfortunate that when individuals become apprehensive about their future in the 2014 listings they abandon principles 

RELATED ARTICLES

• Top Cope leaders face expulsion
• Officials tear into Lekota over audit of Cope funds
• Cope suspends four Gauteng leaders
• Shilowa has no place in Cope, says Lekota
• 'Gun-toting Madisha threatened to kill'

Cope leaders yesterday admitted that owing to internal wrangles, the party has failed voters and that it needed to rebuild to win back their confidence.

This emerged at a press conference held in Parliament, where Cope's founding member Mluleki George and 11 other leaders declared their support for party president Mosiuoa Lekota. Some of them were previously linked to a faction led by the party's expelled deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa.

To beef up membership and quell apprehension by existing members, George said the party would be holding general meetings across the country. "With all this nonsense, this stupid infighting, the organisation has been bleeding. Our biggest challenge now is going to convince the voters because I must say we disappointed them badly," he said.

"It's a matter of going to the people to say give us a last chance, because we have messed up."

Cope acting deputy president Smuts Ngonyama said the move by George and other members of the leadership had been in the interests of stabilising the ailing party.

Other members included member of the Gauteng legislature Clara Motau and axed administrative whip Lolo Mashiane.

"Cope, like any other living thing, is bound to go through the challenges we are faced with," Ngonyama said, adding that other Cope members who had become disillusioned were also expected to return.

Ngonyama said even those who had been dismissed or suspended would be welcomed back if they showed remorse. However, those who faced criminal charges would need to have their day in court.

This included claims against former treasurer Hilda Ndude, who allegedly embezzled over R1-million from the party's coffers.

George said members were now steadfast in their resolve to "rescue" Cope with the purpose of being a formidable opponent at the general elections in two years' time.

"The road to the survival of Cope will not be guaranteed by the courts of law. The guarantors of the future of Cope are its members and a united leadership," said George. "It is high time that we should take one step back in order to take a jump forward."

Last month, the Constitutional Court upheld Lekota's dismissal of Shilowa as a leader of the party.

He has subsequently approached the Johannesburg High Court in a further attempt to have his axing deemed unconstitutional.

George and a number of other senior members, who have now jumped ship to back Lekota, were co-applicants in challenging their dismissals and suspensions.

Lekota, who was not present at the briefing, was in Johannesburg to meet with lawyers to remove their names from court papers.

"He is in a consultation process, including the process regarding Mr George and others who were part and parcel of the affidavit. They have now abandoned it," said Ngonyama.

Shilowa has rubbished George's somersault and described it as a "joke". "It must be a joke of the year when a Cope MP defects to his own organisation," said Zale Madonsela in a statement issued on behalf of "office bearers".

"It is unfortunate that when individuals become apprehensive about their future in the 2014 listings they abandon principles."

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Tue May 21 13:30:26 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 12, 2012

MGEEZ

Well I guess you guys have proven to us (citizens) that in an unlikely event that we voted for you you will mess us up big time; just like the ruling party. Oh I almost forgot that you re their offspring
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

hulas

Well done George for coming back home outside COPE is freezing cold. You admitted your mistakes, apologies on national tv to the entire nation above all you humbled yourself before our organization well done George and good luck…Oh before I go the conditions of your return to our party are very simple all you have to do is to recognize and accept the presidency of Mr. Lekota.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

hulas

Mbazima there is no point to being defiant you are out in the cold and you've got no way out.Come back home son of the organization.You don't have to hold a press conference just come back by back door no one will see and notice you.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

CheeseBoy

south africa needs a REAL opposition party to take over from the rotten ANC. not this cope crap. they had an oppotunity to make a real punch and instead were out classed and out gunned by even the DA due to greed and power mongering.

cope is the biggest joke in the political party circus.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

Pointman

When you spend so much energy fighting among yourself, there is not much time to implement your manifesto. It will be along time before they are taken seriously by anybody. Their best bet is to work in coalition with other opposition parties.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

hulas

Pointman you are completely off point there was never a fight among the members and leadership of my COPE.The fight was against corrupt former anc elements and this was successfully defeated in my COPE.The same cant be said with your corrupt anc.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

Noir19

Yawn, Yawn......this should be a story for a regional paper such as carpricon in polokwane or zoutpansberg in makhado.......not worth a sowetan story
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

hulas

Noir19 yawn still s l e e p i n g....
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

Rockwell

This is exciting news coming from our beloved movement, we welcome back all the members who were disgruntled and we can always start afresh and hope we have learnt from our past mistakes.
Report Abuse

Jun 12, 2012

nsukuangel

This is good news for my movement, we have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Phomolong Branch in Tembisa, is still strong as ever. Now is time to move on and rebuild our movement. In Cope the is Hope...
Report Abuse

Read all 26 comments