Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Congress of the People (Cope) remains a registered as a political party, but it has been deregistered as a company.
This is according to party spokesperson Dennis Bloem.
“Cope is deregistered as a company. It’s only the [Electoral Commission of SA that] can deregister Cope or any other political party, and it is only them that can do it. Cope was registered as a company by Mr (Mosiuoa) Lekota. We are also shocked to hear that Cope was a company all the time.
Earlier on Wednesday, the SABC reported that Cope had been deregistered as a political party.
But Electoral Commission of SA spokesperson Kate Bapela said: “I can confirm that Cope is still a registered political party.”
Cope has been beset with a number of leadership challenges.
With the expulsion of Cope deputy president Willie Madisha and elections secretary Mzwandile Hleko finalised last month, Bloem appears next in line to exit the party.
Madisha, Hleko and Bloem were members of the faction that was pushing Lekota to vacate his position.
Madisha and Hleko’s memberships were terminated on 25 June, and it is understood that Bloem was also informed of the party’s intention to fire him.
In March, Cope Gauteng chairperson Tom Mofokeng and Gauteng deputy secretary Johnny Mokome accused Madisha and Bloem of protecting embattled former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela after his submission of an allegedly fake insolvency clearance certificate.
The law prohibits a person who has been declared insolvent from holding public office.
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