Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

The Congress of the People (Cope) in KwaZulu-Natal has threatened to take the ANC to the public protector or the small claims court if it fails to compensate them for "the disruption" of a branch meeting.

Cope said the meeting was to be addressed by party leader Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota but had to be called off when ANC members stormed a hall in Verulam a month ago.

Cope's provincial secretary Phillip Mhlongo said the ANC should compensate Cope for the fees for the hall, the hiring of electronic equipment and for Lekota's flight tickets.

Mhlongo said people wearing ANC T-shirts bearing Jacob Zuma's image stormed into the hall, sang party songs and threw chairs about.

"People had to duck for cover because chairs were flying all over. This was more than just an act of barbarism."

ANC provincial secretary Senzo Mchunu said they had not received any notification from Cope.

"But if it's true it seems as if these people want to break a world record demanding money from other parties."