Cope’s presidential conundrum over who the rightful president is, will continue until Friday.
Deputy judge president Phineas Mojapelo on Wednesday ordered former president Mosiuoa Lekota and his rival, acting president Mbhazima Shilowa to return to court on Friday morning.
Lekota is challenging a vote of no confidence taken in him at a party congress last weekend.
Shilowa’s attorney had argued they did not have enough time to respond to the matter and therefore requested that it be heard at a later date.
After much wrangling between the two party leaders’ legal teams, the order was handed down by Mojapelo.
Cope cannot take any steps to remove Lekota from his office until Friday, nor can it submit revised parliamentary lists.
Both sides agreed to these undertakings.
The costs in the matter were reserved until the merits of the case were argued on Friday.
Speaking outside the court, Lekota said he was happy that his side would be able to present their case on Friday.
“I am quite confident that flowing from that we’ll be able to show to the court that what happened at St Georges was not valid,” he said.
The congress, where the vote of no confidence was taken, took place at St Georges Hotel outside Pretoria on Saturday.
Cope spokesperson JJ Tabane, who is aligned to Shilowa, said outside the court, the party was very happy it had more time to prepare.
He described the court challenge to the congress decision as “petty”. –Sapa