STATEMENT OF THE CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE
The Congress of the People (COPE) supports the chairman of the Western Cape and leader of the party in the provincial legislature, Mbulelo Ncedana, for his courageous efforts after he laid charges of corruption and fraud against prominent COPE personalities (see Sunday Times report).
Ncedana startling evidence which was presented to the Cape Town Central Police Station implicates Mosiuoa Lekota, Hilda Ndude and Smuts Ngonyama on a string of financial irregularities.
Ncedana's move follows fallout between Phillip Dexter, Lekota and Ndude over the financial mismanagement allegations. Subsequently, Dexter resigned after a physical confrontation with Lekota and Dude was recently dumped by the Lekota faction in anticipation of the imminent exposure.
According to the information, Lekota who together with Deidre Carter the former Deputy Secretary is a co-signatory to COPE accounts, authorized a plethora of irregular transactions made by Ndude to various bogus service providers. In fact, all the suspicious transactions done by Ndude were signed by him.
Importantly, the information handed to the police contains evidence that R98 000.00 was paid to Lekota' personal account, authorized by himself and Ndude. There's not a single COPE resolution or minute that authorises such transaction.
Furthermore, the documents contain credible evidence that details a series of "monthly petrol transactions" paid to his account in collusion with Ndude. These range from R5000.00 and R13000.00. Once again, there's no party meeting, minute or resolution that sanctioned these payments.
Further evidence suggests that IGalelo TV Production (CD Spani) which was owed an amount of R35 238.60, according to a submitted invoice but the company was paid R722 450.00 over six months in what appears, at face value, as a fraudulant scam with the original invoice recycled to justify the rest of the payments.
This recycling of invoices, with different bank accounts, is a recurring practice in the dossier of fraudulent Cope payments that has been handed to the police.
In addition, the allegations also contain evidence that Smuts Ngonyama received R116,166.00 as a refund for transporting delegates from the Eastern Cape to the December 2010 Heartfelt Congress. Importantly, all EC delegates to the congress we paid for by the Eastern Cape COPE office. Ngonyama was never part of any transporting arrangement.
Significantly, Lekota promoted Ngonyama, who is been quietly campaigning to take over, to be his second in charge immediately after fallout with Ndude.
However, this transaction is a vital cog to the Heartfelt chaos as many Eastern Cape party activists who were not official delegates emerged as agent provocateurs and bogus delegates. We alleged at the time that Lekota's faction transported bogus delegates outside the official credited representatives to cause disorder and steal votes. Sadly, one of these unaccounted for EC activists died at the conference.
Delegates who opposed Lekota spent three nights without food and accommodation with many washing in the veld during the conference.
This payment has been submitted to the police for investigation.
Interestingly, the lines between party funds and national assembly funds have been blurred under Lekota with monies indiscriminately moving and disappearing between these accounts without any financial control.
Contrary to Lekota's call two years ago for caucus audited statements to be tabled before the caucus, no financial statements have been tabled since he went to parliament. We strongly suspect that the audited statements submitted to parliament were cooked hence the refusal to make them public.
Meanwhile, we shall continue to mobilise for the isolation of Lekota and his faction who are responsible for the irreparable damage that has been done to the party. The consolidation of the leadership court case and the recent gains we recorded in January in the Eastern Cape, Free State and North West High courts are a clear signal that our victory in the leadership battle court is certain.
Whilst we remain open to engagement for the rebuilding of party unity, we are absolutely of the deceitful attempts by Lekota to disrupt the leadership court case. We are ready to listen; We are willing to engage; We are, however, in no mood to be fooled.
The final arbiter to the COPE leadership battle is the people. We remain buoyant that 2012 is the year for victory.
Statement issued by Sipho Ngwema on behalf of the COPE National Office Bearers (Shilowa faction), February 5 2012
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