MBOMBELA – The Congress of the People (COPE) dismisses the allegations of bootings of nine officials by the party’s president, Mr Mosiuoa Lekota as published by The Star Newspaper on November 26.

The party spokesman, Mr Riot Hlatshwayo said the newspaper’s story titled “Setback for COPE as Lekota ‘boots out’ nine officials” is apparently meant to saw division within the party that is united and not having “endless leadership squabbles’” as claimed by the newspaper.

“It is of utmost importance to point out that when any seasoned reader looks at the headline, the words boots out’ are in inverted commas and in journalistic language that means nothing much than that the writer was not sure about what he was saying but had relied on unfounded grapevine information,” states Hlatshwayo.

“Comrade Lekota has never wanted to take decisions on his own hence COPE has the Congress National Committee (CNC), which is the one that takes important decisions albeit under the leadership of President Lekota,” he said.

The party’s media statement continued to state allegations that the same people who, together with Mbhazima Shilowa took them to court are the same who are coming up with some kind of unnecessary claims while they know that they even decided to take the matter up with the Constitutional Court.

The media release continued that since the judgment by Acting Judge Craig Watt-Pringle which was in favour of the party’s leader Mr Lekota many members of its members who had left the party had since come back and renewed their membership with COPE.

“COPE is busy with its duties as usual, regional and provincial as well as the national conferences have already been planned and this is not the time to entertain some monkey tricks that are bent on making sure that the voters lose confidence in the party as we are going towards the National Elections,” continued the statement.

“Cope will continue to defend the National Constitution at all costs and make sure that the citizens of this country a are saved from living from hand to mouth while some fat cats just sit down, suck their thumbs and do nothing about the plight of our communities but continue to steal from government coffers,” it concludes