FS Cope: Voters won't punish clean-up

2011-01-28 20:00

Bloemfontein - Local voters will not hold it against Cope for "cleaning" the party, its Free State leaders said on Friday.

"We need to clean and voters will not punish us for that," said Mzwandile Hleko, Congress of the People member in the Free State legislature.

The party knew voters had expected better from it, and the cleaning operation was necessary.

Cope Free State was also ready to contest the local government elections later this year, he said.

Another party member, Dennis Bloem, said it should be made clear there was only one Cope in the province, under the leadership of "president" Mosiuoa Lekota. The party is currently split into two factions, one headed by Lekota, the other by Mbhazima Shilowa.

Hleko and Bloem confirmed no Cope member in the provincial legislature had been removed from their posts.

"Our honourable members Casca Mokitlane, Sylvia Lala and Mzwandile Hleko remain Cope leaders in the Free State and in the legislature."

The party said it would start establishing local government election structures from next week, focusing on the Xhariep region first.

- SAPA