Congress of the People president Mosiuoa Lekota has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of undermining the Constitution of the country by facilitating the amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to expropriate land without compensation.
Lekota was speaking during the opening of his party’s elective conference in Bloemfontein.
COPE’s 2nd elective congress follows internal battles within COPE which led to the expulsion of the then party’s deputy president Mbazima Shilowa. Shilowa was accused of mismanaging party funds.
During the opening of the congress in Bloemfontein, the outgoing president of COPE Lekota took a swipe at the African National Congress and its president Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Today, we are led by a President who is leading the attack on the Constitution. Having taken an Oath of Office to obey, respect, uphold and maintain the Constitution. Our present President came back the following night to say to the country I will take some of your properties and give it to our people in spite of the declaration of the constitution in Section 3.”
COPE says it will use its elective conference to outline its election manifesto. The party says it will be introducing a new system in the congress to avoid leadership squabbles and buying of votes.
Members in good standing will elect leadership directly from their home wherever they are in the country. Delegates in the congress will also vote for its top six leaders.
Meanwhile, Lekota, who is set to be re-elected party’s president, says South Africans need a new South Africa. He has urged party members to ensure that people of South Africa vote for COPE.
The second day of the congress will see the amendment of the party’s constitution.
