The President of the People’s Congress (Cope) Mosiuoa Lekota was strongly criticized by the party for causing conflict and violating the constitution. This is after Lekota and City of Joburg speaker Colleen Makhubele allegedly connived to approve the removal of Cope legal councillor, Justice Sefanyetso, from Tshwane metro council and replaced Ofentse Moalusi, who yesterday contested for the mayorship position. Backing Moalusi was backed by the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters for the position and lost with 102 votes against 109 votes for Democratic Alliance candidate Cilliers Brink. Cope members claim Lekota and Makhubele have…
The President of the People’s Congress (Cope) Mosiuoa Lekota was strongly criticized by the party for causing conflict and violating the constitution.
This is after Lekota and City of Joburg speaker Colleen Makhubele allegedly connived to approve the removal of Cope legal councillor, Justice Sefanyetso, from Tshwane metro council and replaced Ofentse Moalusi, who yesterday contested for the mayorship position.
Backing
Moalusi was supported by the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters for the position and lost with 102 votes against 109 votes for Democratic Alliance candidate Cilliers Brink.
Cope members claimed Lekota and Makhubele had come with “an unknown person”, Moalusi, to take Sefanyetso’s place.
Lekota has been accused by members of spreading division in the party by employing certain individuals, including Makhubele and Cope Gauteng provincial leader Thomas Mofokeng, against other members.
Apart from the Sefanyetso matter, Lekota allegedly approved the removal of former Cope councilor and former unwanted MMC for infrastructure services in Ekurhuleni, Ndzipo Kalipa. Moalusi was yesterday sworn in as a new councilor to take Sefanyetso’s place in the council after Sefanyetso was shown the door on Tuesday last week through a letter sent by Lekota and Makhubele to the South African Electoral Commission (IEC) and Tshwane city manager, Johann Mettler.
READ MORE: President Cope Mosiuoa Lekota was suspended for splitting the party
Court action
Now Sefanyetso is taking Lekota, Makhubele and Cope to court to challenge Cope’s untimely removal as a councilor and to ask for his reinstatement.
Cope national spokesperson Dennis Bloem slammed Lekota. “We are saying that what happened to Sefanyetso is completely unconstitutional in Cope.
What president Lekota and Makhubele did to Sefanyetso is wrong,” he said. According to Cope’s PR list at IEC, Sefanyetso will definitely replace former mayor Murunwa Makwarela and this was confirmed by Cope’s secretary for the election chief, Mzwandile Hleko, in a letter to IEC.
He was sworn in as a councilor and was recognized by the council speaker and city manager and a letter to the city from the IEC confirmed it.
Bloem said Moalusi was not qualified to be a councilor in Tshwane because he was not a resident of the city but remained in Joburg. Bloem accused Lekota of undermining Cope by “allowing this unconstitutional thing to happen”.
In an affidavit accompanying the court application naming Cope, Lekota and Makhubele as respondents, Sefanyetso asked the High Court in Johannesburg to set aside the termination of Cope’s membership and reinstate him to all his positions in the party, especially the Cope PR members. in Tshwane council.
Violation
Regarding Mofokeng and Makhubele’s allegations that Sefanyetso had a criminal record and two identity documents, Sefanyetso said the IEC had clarified the issue of the two ID cards as a mistake and apologized.
Sefanyetso said the removal violated his constitutional rights, including the right to freedom of association and the right to a fair trial, and that the termination of Cope’s membership was “evil, arbitrary, a dangerous dictator, reprehensible and a violation” of the party’s constitution.
Attempts to get comment via phone or Whatsapp from Lekota were unsuccessful. Makhubele referred questions to Mofokeng, who promised to respond but later could not be reached by phone.
NOW Read: WATCH: Fistfight breaks out between Cope members as Lekota’s presser interferes