Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

The Congress of the People can do anything, including calling a press conference and lie, in order to gain cheap political mileage.

This was said yesterday by the University of Limpopo's spokesperson, Kgalema Mohuba, after Cope apologised for falsely accusing the institution of denying them use of the campus venue.

Mohuba's statement comes after Cope had announced that the university and two other institutions in the province had denied the party venues to hold their rallies.

Cope presidential candidate Mvume Dandala and premier-elect for Cope Sello Moloto also went to several radio stations to complain that the university had denied them the venue to hold their rally.

But in an about-turn, Cope wrote a letter to the university, apologising about the "venue saga".

In a letter leaked to Sowetan, Cope provincial chairperson Solly Mkhatjoa apologised unconditionally for having wronged the university.

Mohuba said the utterances by Cope had dented the image of the institution.

"The university has no policy of denying any political party its facilities, and we wish to advise Cope leadership that in future they should not jump to the media committing university facility before making necessary arrangements," he said.

Provincial spokesperson for Cope, Willy Mokwalakwala, said the breakaway party was seriously sorry for its actions.

He said Cope's sin was to go to the media and advertise a rally at the university without first securing the venue with the institution's management.