"The Congress of the People views the numerous and continuous actions of litigation to block it from convening its Congress as a strategy that is part of a broader agenda to destroy the party," it said in a statement.

The Lekota faction believed this was because the party was the greatest threat to the African National Congress' political dominance.

"The concerted attempts to defraud the party coffers and other actions by ‘so-called members of COPE' that have brought the name of the Party into disrepute are all part of that same strategy."

On Friday the High Court in Johannesburg ruled that the divided party could not hold its national elective congress in October.

Judge Fritz van Oosten interdicted the party from preparing for and holding the congress, pending a hearing on February 1 next year to determine who should lead the party.

The faction aligned to expelled Cope leader Mbhazima Shilowa was not satisfied with the ruling.

Members of Cope "are the one[s] to determine their leadership and not the courts of laws", spokeswoman Zale Madonsela said in a statement.

She said the Shilowa faction decided at a conference on Friday to reiterate its call for the elective conference to take place before the end of the year.

It would send an invitation to the Lekota faction to discuss practical steps towards an inclusive congress.