If you thought the fistfights at Cope’s press conference a few weeks ago were the last you saw of the party’s implosion drama, tighten your seat belts.
Cope has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks, mainly its factional wars. One side supports party president Terror Lekota, and another is in the corner of deputy Willie Madisha and spokesperson Dennis Bloem.
The factional battles came to a head when the Madisha and Bloem camp announced Lekota was suspended as party boss because he was too old and tired.
When Lekota convened a media briefing to pour cold water on claims of his suspension, fists and chairs flew after an infiltration by supporters of the Madisha faction.
The same Cope factions are once more butting heads over the status of the outspoken councillor in the City of Joburg, Colleen Makhubele.
The firebrand councillor has been a strategic member and face of the “resistance” in the city council, which seeks to unseat the DA-led coalition and has already toppled DA speaker Vasco da Gama.
She was tipped, working together with the minority opposition parties and the ANC, to become the new speaker while the grouping pushes to bring down DA mayor Mpho Phalatse in favour of ANC Joburg regional chair Dada Morero.
But if the Madisha and Bloem faction has its way, Makhubele could be removed as councillor and chair of chairs in council.
Bloem has been opposed to Makhubele from the time Da Gama was toppled, after he joined the DA, ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance in opening a police complaint fingering the ANC for bribing Makhubele.
His faction’s intentions escalated this week with the emergence of a communication claiming Makhubele is suspended as Joburg councillor and chair of chairs.
Makhubele’s “purported” suspension was communicated by Mxolisi Ntobela, who is allegedly the Cope Gauteng provincial committee interim coordinator, barring her from any communication under the party’s name in the media and “any public platform”.
It did not take long for Cope acting secretary-general Mzwandile Hleko to counter-inform Makhubele that the purported suspension was null and void, further instructing her to continue with her duties as Joburg councillor.
The party’s Johannesburg regional secretary, Ariel Mokete, affirmed this stance, accusing Bloem and the DA as instigators causing confusion.
“Cope Joburg region asserts that the suspension letter which was written by Mxolisi Ntobela is as a result of alleged pressure placed on Dennis Bloem and other minority party leaders from the DA-led multiparty coalition to remove all councillors who voted in favour of the removal of former speaker of council Vasco da Gama.
“This action also serves as part of a smear campaign on our councillor and party representative by those who are trying hard to cause confusion within Cope and to tarnish her name.”
Mokete also told Ntobela he has “no authority whatsoever to act in any capacity on behalf of our party” and warned him to cease fire or face a high court interdict.
Makhubele, who has the support of Lekota, said she was not moved by the “purported” suspension and would continue with her work in the City of Joburg.
