The Congress of the People (Cope) in Gauteng is threatening legal action against party president Mosiuoa Lekota over the holding of meetings.
“They are planning on holding a congress national committee (CNC) meeting, our lawyers are drawing up papers that say such a meeting is not constitutional,” party provincial secretary Mbulelo Bara said on Thursday.
“If they forcefully do it then we will have not option but to interdict the decision they take at that meeting [on Friday].”
This threat is the latest move in the leadership battle between Lekota and his deputy, Mbhazima Shilowa, that has been fought in courts, at party conferences and leadership meetings.
The high court in Johannesburg last month overturned a vote of no confidence in Lekota, reinstating him as party president.
Bara said Friday’s CNC meeting, like one held last week, would be illegitimate because it would lack a quorum.
“Even when they don’t form a quorum they continue to have discussions that affect the direction of the party. Then they have media briefings … so it affects the standing of the party in front of the public at large.
“That’s why it’s important that the meetings don’t go ahead at all because they are using them to pronounce on issues.”
However, Bara said Cope Gauteng would not attempt to get an interdict against the holding of meetings, only the decisions made at them.
He also accused Lekota of undermining Cope’s general secretary, and Shilowa ally, Charlotte Lobe.
“We have served them with a letter that says we have noted all these attempts [to hold a meeting], we have a general secretary who can handle these duties but they are using the deputy general secretary [Deidre Carter] for these duties,” said Bara.
“Any CNC meeting that is not called by the general secretary is not legitimate.”
Cope Gauteng will also approach Mvume Dandala and ask him to withdraw his resignation as party parliamentary leader.
“He is a respected figure and we do not want to lose him at this time as a leader.”
Bara accused Lekota of using Dandala’s resignation to take over the party’s parliamentary delegation.
“Lekota looks at this as an opportunity to go to Parliament and head the parliamentary list. His going to Parliament cannot be the result of one leader electing to go, especially of Dandala’s calibre.”
Bara expressed concern the leadership battle was damaging and “embarrassing” the image of the party.
“The whole leadership squabble is denting the image of the party and is kind of an embarrassment to those who voted for us in 2009,” he conceded. – Sapa