Members of the Congress of the People (COPE) in Gauteng have sought to explain their reasons for calling on the party’s President, Mosiuoa Lekota, to step down, saying he meddled in the selection of the party’s councillors.
COPE’s provincial constituency congress committee took the decision last month.
The party addressed challenges facing COPE’s growth, rebuilding and renewal.
COPE’s Ekurhuleni secretary Mxolisi Ntobela says, “Our President Mosiuoa Lekota must step down because he violated the Constitution of COPE by allowing an individual – who installed himself in the Ekurhuleni council. We are saying because he is the custodian of COPE, he should have at least acted better than that.”
“Our Deputy President must run the affairs of the party until the congress, where the members will elect the leader they want to lead the party. Leadership battles are not new to COPE – back in 2013, the party saw a conflict between Mbhazima Shilowa and Lekota – which sowed divisions in the party.”
The audio below is reporting more on the story:
Earlier, COPE spokesperson Dennis Bloem said this unfortunate situation could have been avoided if Lekota heeded to leadership’s advice on the matter.
“Mr Lekota could have avoided this situation if he was willing to listen to advise, his Deputy President comrade Willie Madisha, the Secretary for election comrade Mzwandile Hleko and myself spoke to President Lekota and advised him to say that he is no longer the energetic “Terror” Lekota.”
“He must consider retiring because his health is also not on his side anymore but Comrade Lekota did not want to listen to this advice.”
COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota responds to calls for him to step down:
