A court application launched by Congress of the People (Cope) deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa challenging his dismissal as the party's chief whip, is a "grandstand", party president Mosiuoa Lekota said on Wednesday.

"As in the case of the four previous court actions [won against Shilowa], this one will be won too because the issues raised in it were already raised in the previous ones," Lekota told a press briefing at party headquarters in Johannesburg.

"The only new thing is that they don't want me to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament."

Lekota was trying to "set the record straight on negotiations" with Shilowa following the decision by the party's congress national committee earlier this month to remove him from his post of chief whip.

Shilowa launched the application in the High Court in Cape Town to challenge the decision together with his ally Lolo Mashiane, who was stripped of her powers as Cope's administrative head in Parliament.

He said that he did not know what the "grandstand" was about because it would only delay negotiations with the parties involved and the investigation into the party's finances.

Lekota said that lawyers had been instructed to defend the matter on Cope's behalf.

The organisation had no problems about appearing in court, but individuals who launched the action would have to carry their own legal costs, he said.

Lekota also dismissed any suggestions that the party was desperate for an out of court settlement with Shilowa and Mashiane.

"It has been suggested by the other side that they will agree to a settlement only if the organisation covered costs of all applications, but we have no intention of doing that."

Lekota said that the party was available to negotiate a solution to the court action, provided no agreement was reached that undermined the party's structures, decisions taken and the ongoing investigation into financial irregularities of its parliamentary funds.

"There is nothing to lose by engaging in negotiations [over the impending court action]. It's a display of maturity.

"Anyone who has abused party or public funds must face the consequences of such actions, including if they incurred debts for the party without proper authorisation," he said.