Suspended Congress of the People (COPE) leader Mosiuoa Lekota has expressed his willingness to vacate office but only if party members call on him to do so.
A scuffle broke out during a COPE media briefing in Boksburg east of Johannesburg, on Wednesday in which Lekota confirmed that he was still leading the party.
Members, who are against Lekota’s leadership, interrupted his address where he was detailing his struggle with prostate cancer.
Lekota says he is also prepared to continue serving until his term is over.
“I want to tell COPE members that I am still ready to serve the party, if you as members would like me to do so. But if, for any reason, you feel, ‘maybe we should release you’ then I will say thank you. Don’t accept any story or believe that I steal money and I am corrupt – all these things they are saying about me, I cannot keep quiet. “
WATCH: Here’s is COPE leader, Mosiuoa Lekota saying he’s ready to vacate office if the members of the party feel its time he goes. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/SawQEF77w3
— Abongile Dumako (@AbongileDumako) August 31, 2022
The party suspended Lekota for what some say was the role he allegedly played in dividing the party.
“I have to say that when I came back full swing and the work of the party, I discovered that there had been other developments that I was not kept abreast of and certainly which did not have authorisation by the Congress National Committee and the matter was about to go to the courts.”
WATCH: COPE president Mosioua Lekota says he’s been sick for a while, but is still the leader of the party. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/RdwRoDJ6XA
— Abongile Dumako (@AbongileDumako) August 31, 2022
The members who disrupted the briefing explain their grievances.
“No, we don’t recognise them, they are not the leadership. The real COPE CLC stayed on Sunday. They are not the real members of COPE as they are suspended. They have letters on their names and backs. That is why we are saying they don’t have the right to come here and address in the name of COPE,” says one of the members.
Another member says; “We are not using violence. We said to them that they must come to us so we can sort this thing outside, but they want to call you as the media. We, as the members of COPE, we are outside the gate, we are chased away. If it was a real COPE press conference, why are we being chased away and told not to listen to him?”
SABC journalist Abongile Dumako reports that the panel at the media briefing was shocked by the chaos that erupted:
