The acting general secretary of the Congress of the People, Nikiwe Num, has invited the Speaker of Parliament to investigate potentially damaging allegations of air travel fraud and corruption in the party.
On Thursday last week COPE parliamentary caucus was rocked by shocking allegations that its MP Julie Killian purported to have submitted a requisition for the transfer and use of 40 air tickets to other persons or persons without the knowledge and consent of Blaai. The relevant forms were allegedly signed with a fraudulent signature.
According to party information which was not disputed at the meeting, Blaai was astonished that she had lost 40 tickets through fraudulent means. However, COPE Head Office does not believe the matter was adequately resolved as the caucus, led party parliamentary leader, Mosiuoa Lekota and acting chief whip, Thozamile Botha, swept it under the carpet.
The party has sought to distance itself from potential embarrassment by reporting the matter to the Speaker for decisive action as the institution was mislead and defrauded. Furthermore, COPE has a moral and legal obligation to report any suspected act of criminality.
Meanwhile, party parliamentary leader has failed to meet a mutually agreed deadline to submit his and Botha’s replying affidavits by end of business on Friday. COPE, led by its first deputy president Mluleki George, has brought an urgent application to the Cape High Court for the final resolution of the leadership dispute.
The party believes that Lekota’s intention is to file as close to the court date as possible so that the final determination of the legitimate leadership of the party is further interruption. The ploy is to obstruct the party’s participation in the local elections.
Although the hold-up may adversely affect the reply to his affidavit, the party is resolute that the matter must be heard on 22 March so that the matter is resolved once and for all. The party and our legal representatives will do their best to ensure that it’s all systems go on March 22.