THE Congress of the People's Mosiuoa Lekota faction has asked the courts to issue a final order permanently expelling Mbhazima Shilowa from the party.
In court papers filed last Friday Lekota asks the court to make a permanent ruling that he is the rightful president of Cope
This is sure to cause laughter from the ANC MP benches. Last week Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande asked Lekota whether he got his mandate from the members of Cope or from the South Gauteng high court.
In the latest in a series of court applications, Lekota argues that Shilowa refuses to recognise that he has been expelled, or that he has lost his job as a Cope MP because of the expulsion.
The court papers claim that Cope's bank account was frozen for almost three weeks last month because Shilowa tried to get Standard Bank to change the signatories. This resulted in Cope not being able to pay a bill to a hotel group, Lekota says.
Shilowa's conduct "is calculated to cause, and causes, widespread public confusion concerning the true leadership of Cope", the court papers say.
The court papers say that Shilowa also undermines Lekota's "authority and credibility" as Copes president and "erodes public confidence" in Cope.
Ten days ago the Lekota grouping's MP, Thozamile Botha, won an interim interdict against Shilowa.
The interim interdict barred Shilowa from calling himself Cope's president, from holding Cope meetings, from accessing Cope's bank accounts and from attending Parliament as a Cope MP.
Shilowa's spokesperson, Sipho Ngwema, said Lekota's new court action showed only that he was "a serial litigant, abusing the courts for political issues". Ngwema said Shilowa had already been given until next month to respond to Botha's interim interdict.
"We are preparing a response that will also cover Lekota's application. It seems as if Lekota is restless because he could not wait for the court's return date" Ngwema said.
Lekota's spokesperson, Phillip Dexter, said they decided to launch another court application in a bid to have the courts make a permanent ruling on Shilowa's expulsion.
"This is to once and for all cap the Shilowa faction's frolics and foil attempts to destabilise the party in the run-up to local government elections" Dexter said.
'Shilowa has to go now'
THE Congress of the People's Mosiuoa Lekota faction has asked the courts to issue a final order permanently expelling Mbhazima Shilowa from the party.
In court papers filed last Friday Lekota asks the court to make a permanent ruling that he is the rightful president of Cope
This is sure to cause laughter from the ANC MP benches. Last week Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande asked Lekota whether he got his mandate from the members of Cope or from the South Gauteng high court.
In the latest in a series of court applications, Lekota argues that Shilowa refuses to recognise that he has been expelled, or that he has lost his job as a Cope MP because of the expulsion.
The court papers claim that Cope's bank account was frozen for almost three weeks last month because Shilowa tried to get Standard Bank to change the signatories. This resulted in Cope not being able to pay a bill to a hotel group, Lekota says.
Shilowa's conduct "is calculated to cause, and causes, widespread public confusion concerning the true leadership of Cope", the court papers say.
The court papers say that Shilowa also undermines Lekota's "authority and credibility" as Copes president and "erodes public confidence" in Cope.
Ten days ago the Lekota grouping's MP, Thozamile Botha, won an interim interdict against Shilowa.
The interim interdict barred Shilowa from calling himself Cope's president, from holding Cope meetings, from accessing Cope's bank accounts and from attending Parliament as a Cope MP.
Shilowa's spokesperson, Sipho Ngwema, said Lekota's new court action showed only that he was "a serial litigant, abusing the courts for political issues". Ngwema said Shilowa had already been given until next month to respond to Botha's interim interdict.
"We are preparing a response that will also cover Lekota's application. It seems as if Lekota is restless because he could not wait for the court's return date" Ngwema said.
Lekota's spokesperson, Phillip Dexter, said they decided to launch another court application in a bid to have the courts make a permanent ruling on Shilowa's expulsion.
"This is to once and for all cap the Shilowa faction's frolics and foil attempts to destabilise the party in the run-up to local government elections" Dexter said.
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