COURT GRANTS SHILOWA AN ORDER TO HALT LEKOTA FACTION SWEARING IN
The Western Cape High Court granted COPE president Mbhazima Shilowa an interim order which restrains the Speaker of Parliament from filing his seat in the National Assembly.
The Lekota faction, that has purported to act for the organisation in various unlawful and unauthorised actions, forwarded the name of one Graham McIntosh to replace Shilowa as a member of the National Assembly. This was done while all matters of leadership dispute are still pending.
Surprisingly, parliament seemed keen to proceed with the swearing in even though the matter had not been finalised and such was in contravention of its own rules and undertakings. The interim order is another clear indication that the matter of the COPE leadership is still in dispute and the Lekota faction continues to lie unashamedly to the public and itself.
COPE was keen to have the matter of leadership dispute resolved once and for all last week in the Western Cape High Court but the Lekota faction were happy for another delay and for the leadership confusion to continue.
The 66 year-old McIntosh was scheduled to be sworn in last week but the proceedings were delayed following the intervention of COPE legal representatives.