The party accused deputy president Willie Madisha of hosting parallel meetings and abusing party resources.
COPE deputy president Willie Mothipa Madisha is yet to respond following the Congress National Committee’s (CNC) announcement that it was terminating his membership with immediate effect.
The party accused Madisha of hosting parallel meetings and abusing party resources.
The membership of Mzwandile Hleko, who is the secretary of elections nationally, was also terminated; the pair now have 14 days to appeal that decision.
Acting general secretary Erick Mohlapamaswi and Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota’s signatures are both in the letter that was sent to Madisha.
“This letter is sent to you to communicate a decision of the CNC meeting held yesterday (Sunday), having considered your failure to respond to a letter sent to your good self on Friday, June 23, 2023. The CNC has decided to terminate your Cope membership with immediate effect.
“In line with the above, you are informed of your right to appeal the decision to the acting general secretary within 14 days. Such an appeal should be communicated via email to the AGS for consideration. Consequent to the above, you are therefore requested to return any asset of the party that is in your possession by Friday, June 30, 2023, irrespective of your appeal or not,” said Mohlapamaswi in the letter.
Speaking in an interview with one of the broadcasters, Mohlapamaswi said it has been a long probe that started a long time ago.
“Madisha decided that the president was suspended on his own without the mandate of the Cope and opened a case, which was against the constitution. Our constitution is very clear that when you need to litigate, you need to get a mandate or authority from the CNC before you can litigate.
“One of the other things that stands out is the misuse of party funds. He was also forming parallel structures in various provinces and bringing the party into disrepute,” said Mohlapamaswi.
Hleko refused to recognise the expulsion and said that Mohlapamaswi was never elected as acting secretary-general.
“Mohlapamaswi cannot send a letter of demands to Madisha because he is not the acting secretary-general. The CNC directly elected members are 18 in total, and of that number, many have resigned; we are left with 12. In that 12 on their side, they only have Lekota and Tebogo (surname inaudible),” said Hleko.
He also accused Lekota of not being open to democratic processes.
“Lekota does not like democracy, and it is proven every day. When you approach congress, he will come up with all these things. We have embarked on a programme that is endorsed by the constitution of the party and says that between April and June, all provinces must have gone to a provincial congress, and the national congress must sit by early July in the year of national elections.
“Our term as CNC is coming to an end in January 2024. But because the constitution demands that we go to congresses, what we are doing is, we have moved around, revising the structures, and now those interim structures that were acting are ready to go to provincial congress,” said Hleko.
At the time of going online, Madisha had not responded to media enquiries.
