THE CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE EXPELS HILDAGRADE NDUDE FROM THE PARTY
THE CONGRESS NATIONAL COMMITTEE (CNC) MEETING on 28-29 January2012 in Gauteng, received and considered the report on financial irregularities in the office of its then National Treasurer, Ms Hildagrade Ndude,After deloiberations on the matter,
RESOLVED: that Ms Ndude be summarily suspended as a leader and a member of the Congress of the People (COPE), and may therefore not participate in any Party activities or hold herself out as a member of COPE, pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing.
THE DISCIPLINARY HEARING was conducted on 8th February 2012 in Cape Town chaired by Mr Craig Bosch.
THE CHARGES AGAINST NDUDE were that she had "acted contrary to COPE's Constitution, particularly article 1.2", in that:
1) Ms Ndude misappropriated COPE funds by, among other actions ; paying an amount of R110,000.00 ,authorized and earmarked for paying Amazon Media, into her personal account;
2) Ms Ndude further attempted to misappropriate an amount of R72,240.00 by attempting to pay this amount into her son's account whereas it was intended for CC Properties;
3) Ms Ndude's conduct in wrongfully approving and signing documents, and authorizing payments without invoices, misled the signatories Deidre Carter and President Lekota into believing that payments were warranted and legitimate; and
4) Ms Ndude's overall conduct has been disgraceful and unconstitutional; does not uphold the dignity of the office of National Treasurer; uses your office to gain special privileges and benefits, caused financial difficulties for COPE and brought COPE into disrepute.'
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE DC FINALISED HIS REPORT ON 13 FEBRUARY 2012 in which he states as a conclusion the following "In these circumstances there is, in my view, only one appropriate sanction and that is expulsion from COPE and that is the sanction that I recommend". The report was submitted to the President of the Party.
THE NOB MET IN AN EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION ON 14 FEBRUARY 2012, considered the report and findings of the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Inquiry and resolved to recommend to the CNC the ratification of the recommendation to expel Ms Ndude from the Party.
BETWEEN THE 15 AND 16 FEBRUARY 2012, through the method of a round robin resolution, the members of the CNC considered the report of the Chairperson of the Inquiry as well as that of the NOBs on the outcome of the Disciplinary Inquiry and ;-
RESOLVED to adopt the report of the NOBs and to ratify the recommendation to expel Ms H Ndude from the Congress of the People.
THE CNC MEMBERS FURTHER RESOLVED to instruct the Acting General Secretary of the Party, Ms Lyndall Shope-Mafole (MPL);
a. to circulate to all CNC members, the Report of the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Inquiry, the Resolution of the NOBs and the Round Robin Resolution for the consideration of the CNC members as a matter of urgency
b. to communicate the outcomes of the round robin resolution to the members of the party and the public
c. to request the Leader of the Party in Parliament and Party President, Mr. Mosiuoa Lekota(MP) to communicate, using the appropriate channels, the outcome of the round robin resolution to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
THE NATIONAL OFFICE BEARERS (NOBs), as directed by the CNC, are continuing with the other aspects of the CNC Resolution of 28-29th January 2012 in relation to, amongst others
a. the appointment of a firm of forensic auditors to further determine the nature and extent of the misappropriation and mismanagement of funds by Ms Ndude and
b. instituting civil and criminal charges, working with the Party's lawyers.
The Congress of the People re-iterates its commitment to South Africans to fight corruption and fraud wherever these may be found in our country.
COPE is party of South Africans who are Reliable, Accountable and Incorruptible.
Statement issued by Timothy "Buks" Mahlangu, Congress of the People Head of Communications, February 19 2012
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