Cope parliamentary leader Mvume Dandala has dismissed media reports that he might resign from his position.
”I wish to state that this is not true,” Dandala said in a statement on Wednesday.
”In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.”
Earlier, the Times reported that Dandala might be ”axed” to make way for the Congress of the People’s second deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa.
The paper said senior party members had told it that a leadership organogram for the party was being reviewed and that Dandala was seen as ”one of the hangers-on”.
Dandala said he remained committed to the party.
”I remain committed to serve the Congress of the People in whatever position it deploys me in and am currently doing work in my constituency.”
Tensions
The fledgling party has been racked by tensions recently, with co-founder Mluleki George saying on Tuesday that there are problems in its leadership.
”Our biggest challenge as Cope is to be a strong organisation, to do what Cope was founded for, because the problems of Cope are not on the ground, the problems of Cope are in the leadership which, to me, even that one is a temporary problem,” said George.
He was addressing the media in Polokwane on Tuesday evening where the party’s national executive committee was meeting provincial leaders, SABC radio news reported.
The party’s former election head Simon Grindrod has been suspended and former second deputy president Lynda Odendaal resigned last week.
The new opposition party’s former spokesperson, Sipho Ngwema, on Tuesday published a letter to Odendaal on Facebook, reported Business Day.
He called Odendaal a novice and said she was the ”Sarah Palin” of Cope. – Sapa