The African National Congress (ANC) on Friday described the way its former MP Dennis Bloem moved to Congress of the People (Cope) as ”politically immoral”.
”For people who speak so much about morals, it is quite immoral. It is politically immoral,” said ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte after Bloem announced on Friday that he had joined Cope.
His move came after a week of confusion when his name appeared on both the ANC and Cope lists of parliamentary candidates ahead of the April 22 election.
Bloem said earlier this week that the ANC was his home and repeated this at the news briefing on Friday.
”It was an extremely difficult decision to make. I love the ANC. It is the only political home that I know.”
However, he said he felt party members did not trust him because of his close association with Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota, a former ANC chairperson who broke away to form the party.
”I increasingly felt that I was not trusted by some of my comrades including the Free State provincial structure of the ANC, of which I come from,” he said.
Duarte said: ”The sense of dishonesty, he is going to have to live with it for the rest of his life.”
In response to his claim that he was distrusted, Duarte said: ”We had good reason not to trust him after he put his name on two lists.”
Bloem said he would start campaigning immediately in the Free State.
”I have joined now and I can promise you that the Free State will be turned upside down.” — Sapa