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South African News Updates |
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8 April 2009 After the defection of some COPE
members back to the ANC, the ruling party is trying to
lure back the breakaway movement's president Mosiuoa
Lekota and youth leader Anele Mda.
The ANC has launched "Operation Come Back Home" -
aimed at enticing COPE leaders back to the ANC.
ANC spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu said the campaign was
meant to reach out to those who had made a "mistake"
by joining COPE.
"We are aware of comrades who realise that they made a
mistake by joining COPE," said Zulu.
COPE spokesperson Sipho Ngwema could not comment
whether Lekota had been approached by the ANC.
Lekota was attending a funeral on Saturday and could
not be reached for comment. But the Sunday Argus has
learnt from three independent sources that the
breakaway's leader is within the ruling party's radar
and met some of the party's representatives last week.
However, a COPE congress national committee member
said although the breakaway party's president was
"unhappy" in the organisation, he had no intentions of
leaving.
"I know that certain ANC people met him last week, but
he won't leave.
"He knows that they are only interested in getting
their two thirds majority and they would do anything
to obtain that," said the congress national committee
member, who asked to remain anonymous.
However, Zulu said she was not aware if Lekota had
been approached, but did not rule out that
possibility.
"I'm not aware of that, but (Mlungisi Hlongwane, a
former COPE elections head who defected back to the
ANC), might be talking to some, he knows them and had
told us that there was a lot of unhappiness in
(COPE)," she said.
On the other hand, Mda confirmed that she had received
a call from "someone" at Luthuli House who asked her
for a meeting with "senior ANC Youth League" leaders
on Sunday.
But she said she was not interested in returning to
the ruling party. |
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